- Location
- Pembrokeshire
Yes that's true but going straight to the cows drinking habits rather than checking out the things under your control isn't the way to cure the problemI think the reason that fpd's raise such emotion is that there is a general feeling, if you fail, that you are being accused of watering down your milk. That is they way some of the dairies approach it - certainly ours does, that it must be something we are doing 'wrong', that something must be broken, or leaking, that someone left a pipe in the tank (impossible in our parlour). Being paid 10p/litre is very demoralising and as I pointed out, something that our dairy then reports to RT who then send you a snotty email saying make sure you complete your complaints file and WE WILL BE CHECKING UP ON YOU.
Factors affecting butterfat content are widely understood. Factors affecting fpds are much less well understood. AHDB have update their guidance again to include reference to energy and protein levels in the diet rather than just water intakes and sodium levels, but it is very woolly. It is all to do with internal osmosis in the cow and it is not as straightforward as some posters on here (and some dairies) try to pretend.