Arla

Cows 'n grass · Jun 30, 2023

Martyn said:
When do you lot get time to do that thing called farming!!? That all looks insane, I'd rather stick to my organic audit

Serious shambles for a farmer owned co-op, takes the joy out of the job I imagine.

With stewardship, compliance, Arla, 12 landlords and 5 staff I probably wouldn't do more that 4/5 hours a day physical farm work any more (outside calving)

jondear said:
It's a stick to beat you with!
And tool to use to pay less for milk

It appears to be yet another stick to punish spring calvers.

The extra bits we have to do for Arla have a direct cost of around 1.5 - 2ppl now for my business. That means they really need to be 3ppl ahead of the competition to make it worthwhile which means they're at least 5ppl off the mark at the moment.

Sid · Jun 30, 2023

Cows 'n grass said:
With stewardship, compliance, Arla, 12 landlords and 5 staff I probably wouldn't do more that 4/5 hours a day physical farm work any more (outside calving)

It appears to be yet another stick to punish spring calvers.

The extra bits we have to do for Arla have a direct cost of around 1.5 - 2ppl now for my business. That means they really need to be 3ppl ahead of the competition to make it worthwhile which means they're at least 5ppl off the mark at the moment.

How much of that do you think you will get today?

1.5-2p , that's not including the calves to a certain age?

Ducati899 · Jun 30, 2023

Holsteinfriesian90 said:
Who is actually better off for all this rubbish? It’s definitely not the farmer it’s not the cows. Does the consumer go to Tesco and think ooh il buy this cheese or milk because they have less points on their audit. No. It’s bonkers.

when I was with a well know supermarket we regularly got told at meetings that mr/mrs X Y & Z would go into their stores in London and ask how many lame cows their farmer suppliers had!!!
Now don’t get me wrong,no one likes a lame cow but don’t talk absolute bulls**t

don’t miss all this form filling crap one bit

Cows 'n grass · Jun 30, 2023

Sid said:
How much of that do you think you will get today?

1.5-2p , that's not including the calves to a certain age?

It's a hard figure to calculate. Last year we were under tb restrictions and rearing 500+calves to 8 weeks probably cost close to 2ppl alone. We will always be in and out of tb because of our location but hopefully it's only one year in four, so 0.5ppl average.

I find not being able to feed soya hulls very irritating. They are a byproduct of a byproduct and have made up the base of every cake/blend I've fed for the last 20 years. They are the perfect complimentary feed for grazing cows.

Sid · Jun 30, 2023

Cows 'n grass said:
It's a hard figure to calculate. Last year we were under tb restrictions and rearing 500+calves to 8 weeks probably cost close to 2ppl alone. We will always be in and out of tb because of our location but hopefully it's only one year in four, so 0.5ppl average.

I find not being able to feed soya hulls very irritating. They are a byproduct of a byproduct and have made up the base of every cake/blend I've fed for the last 20 years. They are the perfect complimentary feed for grazing cows.

At least you have calculated it. One in 4 is still a massive challenge.

Spoke to a promenant farmer who was bigging up the Arla price, but didn't know how much it was costing him to produce to the Arla standard. Price minus cost is what matters.

Another suggested it was over 3ppl including calves.

Henarar · Jun 30, 2023

If you don't like it then why is a farmer owned co-op putting up with this crap ? can't you have a referendum its a great way to sort things out

Farmer Keith · Jun 30, 2023

Chips said:
True as the protien loss in silage doesn't lead to nitrous oxide emmsions , where as protien loss in the cow does. However if you lose it in the silage and buy extra in to arive at the same protien going in the cow as the grazing cow senario you will have the same protien efficiency as the grazing cow but worse feed efficiency IYSWIM

So it penalises you for the nitrous oxide emissions by up to 8 points possibly rightly so but shouldn’t there be more points on offer the other way for all the other environmental benefits grazing brings, reduced ammonia emissions, more carbon sequestered, reduced reliance on machinery etc etc.

I’m split block but get 265 days of grazing and have 49 points though, not sure if I’m an anomaly or are all spilt blocks scoring well? If we sign up to a renewable electricity contract in September we’ll be up to 54.

Barmyfarmer · Jun 30, 2023

Sid said:
At least you have calculated it. One in 4 is still a massive challenge.

Spoke to a promenant farmer who was bigging up the Arla price, but didn't know how much it was costing him to produce to the Arla standard. Price minus cost is what matters.

Another suggested it was over 3ppl including calves.

We don't notice any issue with selling calves as arla calves through market, last 8 beef calves that went averaged £310

Sid · Jun 30, 2023

Henarar said:
If you don't like it then why is a farmer owned co-op putting up with this crap ? can't you have a referendum its a great way to sort things out

Its what the board of representatives have decided is right for members

Sid · Jun 30, 2023

Barmyfarmer said:
We don't notice any issue with selling calves as arla calves through market, last 8 beef calves that went averaged £310

Plenty do to the stage that markets won't take them

Barmyfarmer · Jun 30, 2023

Sid said:
Plenty do to the stage that markets won't take them

The poor quality type that are just a bi product?

Henarar · Jun 30, 2023

Sid said:
Its what the board of representatives have decided is right for members

don't sound like they are representing very well

Farmer Keith · Jun 30, 2023

Henarar said:
don't sound like they are representing very well

Funnily enough we were not as bothered by it all when our price was ahead of the game, pressures on to get that side of things sorted out asap now.

Cows 'n grass · Jun 30, 2023

Barmyfarmer said:
We don't notice any issue with selling calves as arla calves through market, last 8 beef calves that went averaged £310

My Arla calves sold very well at 3 weeks this year. It's just TB that ruins the job, there are very few AFUs or isolation units left in the SW so TB calves end up going for slaughter at 8 weeks as opposed to 1 week.

Devon lad · Jun 30, 2023

Who is seriously considering pulling out of Arla.

The EA and Arla are doing a good job in our area, a lot of well established farmers either giving up or seriously thinking of leaving.

Sid · Jun 30, 2023

Cows 'n grass said:
My Arla calves sold very well at 3 weeks this year. It's just TB that ruins the job, there are very few AFUs or isolation units left in the SW so TB calves end up going for slaughter at 8 weeks as opposed to 1 week.

The downfall of having controlled Tb. Less stock to go into these units.

Used to be a vibrant trade for tb restricted dairy stock.
Not any more there isn't

Bramble · Jun 30, 2023

Cows 'n grass said:
My Arla calves sold very well at 3 weeks this year. It's just TB that ruins the job, there are very few AFUs or isolation units left in the SW so TB calves end up going for slaughter at 8 weeks as opposed to 1 week.

Would the slaughter money at that age cover the rearing costs?

Sid · Jun 30, 2023

Devon lad said:
Who is seriously considering pulling out of Arla.
The EA and Arla are doing a good job in our area, a lot of well established farmers either giving up or seriously thinking of leaving.

I know a few that did before the high prices, less stress, better returns

Cows 'n grass · Jun 30, 2023

Chips said:
Out of interest what is your milk urea average for the year in question ?

I can't find an actual average figure. When we are short if protein we use a bit of feed grade urea which always send milk ureas through the roof, that would be why last autumn's figures were high. Generally they roll around 150.

Cows 'n grass · Jun 30, 2023

Bramble said:
Would the slaughter money at that age cover the rearing costs?

No, I'd budget on losing £100/head

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