Milk down the drain - DIY direct action challenge

[Phil_Chris]

Also being posted on Twitter (@PhilatRedRock) & emailed to agri-org VIPs, farming media & friends in the right places.
Rather than wait (in vain?) for help from above, how about some DIY activism?

 

[Beef farmer]

3.2a
What do I do with the cows after 2 hours grazing please?

 

[Beef farmer]

When the public get gist of farmers cutting production on purpose to get a bit of cash flow, will they understand or will it back fire?

 

[Kidds]

Very poor timing

 

[Princess Pooper]

3.2a
What do I do with the cows after 2 hours grazing please?

More worrying for us, what do we do with the sh!t that they will not be spreading themselves, as we are 'full' and we can't spread it on silage land at this time of year! As we have minimal silage left, I'm also not quite sure what we are supposed to feed them on if we can only graze for 2 hours!

25% of our quota production for April is already likely to be paid at 15ppl and anything surplus to what we produced last April will be at spot, which could be 0ppl. We are currently producing 20% more than last April, as our dairy told us lasts year if we did not produce closer to our quota then they would reduce it. Let's just say the cake has been dropped on everything over 100 days in milk and first batch of culls go tomorrow, but I'm not happy sending cows giving over 20 litres! With a pedigree herd it is also annoying not milking cows to their genetic potential. With solids currently at 4.45% and 3.4% (Holsteins) there's not even a lot of scope for that to increase.

 

[farmer on a bike]

When the public get gist of farmers cutting production on purpose to get a bit of cash flow, will they understand or will it back fire?

I totally agree, there is a huge risk to dairy farmers reputations from doing this. I think the RABDF suggestion to get help for the worst effected farmers is a much more acceptable option.

 

[Beef farmer]

More worrying for us, what do we do with the sh!t that they will not be spreading themselves, as we are 'full' and we can't spread it on silage land at this time of year!

Cant stand them in a yard. Yards are slippery as ice here. And then as you say, the dung needs dealing with, this adding costs then betty falls over on the slippery yard, again adding cost.

For that reason Phil/Chris, it's a no from me

 

[NoParticularPattern]

There’s a lot of assumptions being made in that plan. The assumption that everyone has extra forage available (since you say “at no extra cost” I’m guessing you’re not suggesting we should buy it if we don’t have it?). Making more 1st cut- if you’d like to come whisper sweet nothings at our grass and magic up a few extra acres then we’d be happy to oblige on that one. Oh let’s not forget the extra clamp space we would need for it (that we don’t have....). Slurry less of an issue for us as housed AYR anyway but that does somewhat negate your point about turning out the “troublemakers”.
And that’s before I even consider what Joe Public would think if they found out that dairy farmers were trying to manipulate the market in this way. They’re already being told we are calf murdering rapists who are feeding them pus in a bottle and calling it milk, imagine the uproar if they were told that we had all deliberately reduced our production to drive demand for dairy at a time when the whole country is struggling...?

 

[Princess Pooper]

Love the way he quotes a 'typical' 500 cow herd, we've only got 92!

 

[vantage]

Love the way he quotes a 'typical' 500 cow herd, we've only got 92!

And you’ll probably know everyone by name!

 

[Homesy]

Bonkers ideas and terrible timing.

 

[thewalrus]

Love the way he quotes a 'typical' 500 cow herd, we've only got 92!

maybe he works for the farmers weekly

 

[Tarw Coch]

Love the way he quotes a 'typical' 500 cow herd, we've only got 92!

Isn’t average herd size still in the 100’s , a typical 160 cow herd ( or whatever the average is) would be more appropriate.

 

[O'Reilly]

I think that the market will see to it that supply is reduced. Anybody with half a brain can see that it's going to be hard for the foreseeable future, and will be making moves to cut costs, or pack up, which will reduce supply without a scheme like this.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Can't remember what it cost but milk price is or was insurable.

Better option than the above surely?

 

[Muddyroads]

I completely understand the sentiment and frustration, but sorry to say that I think the timing is awful.

 

[Manney]

3.2a
What do I do with the cows after 2 hours grazing please?

I would need to cut my grazing time by 20hrs ha ha. Not to worry though I've already cut my yeild per cow by 25%, I'm way ahead of the game!!!

 

[Farmer Keith]

3.4c how is being a member of a union going to help lift the milk price? ?

 

[Agrispeed]

Surely the best way to reduce production would for everyone to just feed grass? #evangelist

Limiting grazing, housing and feeding more silage just seems counter intuitive.

 

[Happy at it]

I just don't understand this. If this is meant to be a joke it's not funny, and surely it's not meant to be serious with a such a silly acronym and random suggestions.