Low fpd

[Jdunn55]

I'm hoping someone can offer me some help, my fpd has been sailing close to the cut off for a while now but the last few collections it's been very low about 504 usually. This has only happened since3the cows have been grazing more grass (been turned into the silage fields) said fields are a fair walk away from the farm and I'm concerned that the fpd is being caused by the cows becoming thirsty on the way into the yard and then drinking loads of water before milking. I've seen before that sometimes restricting water before milking can help but I feel a bit cruel doing so? I've also just had a load of rock salt turn up which I've heard can help so that will be available from today.

Any other suggestions?? It's only costing 15 quid a collection at the minute but that soon adds up!

 

[Big_D]

I'm hoping someone can offer me some help, my fpd has been sailing close to the cut off for a while now but the last few collections it's been very low about 504 usually. This has only happened since3the cows have been grazing more grass (been turned into the silage fields) said fields are a fair walk away from the farm and I'm concerned that the fpd is being caused by the cows becoming thirsty on the way into the yard and then drinking loads of water before milking. I've seen before that sometimes restricting water before milking can help but I feel a bit cruel doing so? I've also just had a load of rock salt turn up which I've heard can help so that will be available from today.

Any other suggestions?? It's only costing 15 quid a collection at the minute but that soon adds up!

Same thing has just happened here, FPD of 504 on last 2 collections, I'd be challenging your milk buyer on the deduction, they are usually understanding of this issue. If it's a plant issue allowing water into the milk you would expect to also see a raised bactoscan.

 

[Jdunn55]

Same thing has just happened here, FPD of 504 on last 2 collections, I'd be challenging your milk buyer on the deduction, they are usually understanding of this issue. If it's a plant issue allowing water into the milk you would expect to also see a raised bactoscan.

Thankyou, My bactoscan has hardly moved, if anything it's gone slightly lower, now at 12 so definitely not the issue which is always reassuring.

The problem I have is they want high standards of welfare, to me, removing access to water lowers welfare standards so in turn they ought to be accommodating about lower fpd??

 

[Big_D]

Thankyou, My bactoscan has hardly moved, if anything it's gone slightly lower, now at 12 so definitely not the issue which is always reassuring.

The problem I have is they want high standards of welfare, to me, removing access to water lowers welfare standards so in turn they ought to be accommodating about lower fpd??

Can you improve water provision in the field and immediately after milking? Definitely ring them up and explain the situation. If we are both having issues there will be others in the same boat. It has been a countrywide issue in recent years.

 

[wullbr]

How is water availability in fields? Ive had that problem with just having a trough at the gate, another further in the field would encourage cows to drink more throughout the day and reduce competition?

 

[Princess Pooper]

We have had the same problem in our milk group although ours has stayed the right side of the wire. The general verdict was it was something to do with the frosted grass rather than the water stress issues sometimes seen in hot weather. Allowing the cows to eat some silage (if you have some left) seems to help.

 

[betweenthelines]

This comes up every year. We have a few warm days cows drink a bit more and farmers have "problems" with FPD results. Dairies or some other smart arses will say "restrict water intake at certain times"

The test is not fit for purpose-milk straight from the cow can be outwith the limits set by Dairies. NFU should be challenging this nonsense.

 

[Courier]

Not something I have done but has anyone ever considered buying a gallon of catering whipping cream (38% fat) and adding it to the bulk tank to see if it makes a difference ?
I suggest whipping grade because that will have no problem assimilating whereas double (48%) might when chilled.

 

[Cowmansam]

Not something I have done but has anyone ever considered buying a gallon of catering whipping cream (38% fat) and adding it to the bulk tank to see if it makes a difference ?
I suggest whipping grade because that will have no problem assimilating whereas double (48%) might when chilled.

Would imagine that would be illegal as it’s not produced on your farm but probably would work

 

[Princess Pooper]

This comes up every year. We have a few warm days cows drink a bit more and farmers have "problems" with FPD results. Dairies or some other smart arses will say "restrict water intake at certain times"

The test is not fit for purpose-milk straight from the cow can be outwith the limits set by Dairies. NFU should be challenging this nonsense.

17 degrees is not a warm day. I totally agree that this whole topic needs a proper review and if necessary, more research. Members should lobby the NFU and we should all have a rant at AHDB and Dairy UK to get this changed. Why should we all tear our hair out when the milk coming out of the cows, being fed perfectly naturally, is failing a legal test based on very old research and much older genetics. The penalties are pretty severe and in most cases we are doing NOTHING wrong.

 

[Courier]

Would imagine that would be illegal as it’s not produced on your farm but probably would work

When we were processing then all the cream came off the separator hot at 60% FAT (from an extra tapping on the pasteurised after heat treatment) and we simply blended it with skim to the appropriate grade (we tended to be generous) before chilling. Chilled cream above whipping grade needs much more care when mixing back.

Regards the legality If you were to add vegetable oil then that would be adulteration but generic cream ?? Probably no more illegal than trying to suggest that milk as it leaves the cow is adulterated which is what has been claimed and proven false in the past by taking a direct milk sample manually from each quarter into a dry sterile sample pot for an FPD test.

 

[epfarms]

There is a review to seek revision to the FPD threshold which has been led by DairyUK and NMR are now on board. I believe they are sharing their findings with dairy processors shortly so hopefully we might see some change in the future. It hasn’t been reviewed since 1977 so about time!

 

[Courier]

An amendment to FPD regulation could allow the "Big Players" to add even more water into the product at packaging to maintain the FPD at legal levels as is done with Standardised, and semi-skimmed milk and their respective minimum fat levels at times when the on farm FPD is showing significant margins over the minimum.

(Of course this would not be done because the "Big Players" have more integrity than to do so.)

 

[Sid]

There is a review to seek revision to the FPD threshold which has been led by DairyUK and NMR are now on board. I believe they are sharing their findings with dairy processors shortly so hopefully we might see some change in the future. It hasn’t been reviewed since 1977 so about time!

There is.
505 I believe is the new low to be acceptable at the dairy

 

[betweenthelines]

An amendment to FPD regulation could allow the "Big Players" to add even more water into the product at packaging to maintain the FPD at legal levels as is done with Standardised, and semi-skimmed milk and their respective minimum fat levels at times when the on farm FPD is showing significant margins over the minimum.

(Of course this would not be done because the "Big Players" have more integrity than to do so.)

AFAIK, Dairies mix the three grades standardised, semi and full skim) to get the correct fat level.

Add full skim to bring full fat to reduce it to standardised or semi.

Also AFAIK, no one ever asked that full fat milk be either reduced to standardised or to be homogenised-that's all about the s/markets wanting a bog standard product. Like the "right shaped" veg bolloc ks

 

[In the pit]

I've had low fpd lately so left plate cooler off
Plate cooler on 508
Plate cooler off 518
Cows and rest of parlour not changed including cows drinking just before milking

 

[Tirglas]

Give plenty rocksalt was advice I took last couple dry years

 

[Cowmansam]

I've had low fpd lately so left plate cooler off
Plate cooler on 508
Plate cooler off 518
Cows and rest of parlour not changed including cows drinking just before milking

Hole in the plate then ?

 

[Rossymons]

We never got to the bottom of ours. Straw, hay, rock salts, 2 independent visits to look over the equipment, nothing found.

We were sending approximately 8000l at 9% solids but FPD was too low. "Rules is rules".

 

[Sid]

We never got to the bottom of ours. Straw, hay, rock salts, 2 independent visits to look over the equipment, nothing found.

We were sending approximately 8000l at 9% solids but FPD was too low. "Rules is rules".

AHDB need to look into this using our levy money as its across the board.

Interestingly I was told that Scottish FPD is always higher than English or Welsh.