MilkSure!

[Martyn]

So producers are now being cornered into another layer of paper filling by milk buyers. Has everyone jumped and gone down the milksure route? We are surposed to, but Iv forgotten and gone by the deadline that now means as farmers we now to pay for it, I feel it's a total micktake, having milked cows for 17 years Iv never had a anti biotic fail, or close to one, we now have dairy food hygien to keep happy, red tractor (but they arnt good enough standards) our own milk buyers standards, and now even more, when is it going to stop, if every farm refused to sign up, I'm sure the milk tanker would still tern up. Can't wait to hand notice in in the spring, I'm really considering getting rid of the cows in the next few years, I enjoy the cow work and actually feel we do a good job of producing quality milk with happy cows but the way the industry is going it gives not much of a bright future.

 

[Beef farmer]

They have extended the deadline.
Where will your milk go once notice has been served?

 

[Tonka]

https://milksure.co.uk/about-milksure/
Have to say I've heard comments from several farmers and workers who have voluntarily gone on this course - and all said very worthwhile. Not heard 1 bad comment as yet. Many of those will have been milking long-term, and by that I mean many more years than you Martyn

 

[Martyn]

For our current system of mainly low input low out, we had 12 cases of mastitis on 100-120 cows, our main drug we use it Metacam for calving, dehorning other than that very little use. We have never used any of the drugs that the vets are pushing for a reduction on, and our dry cow therapy is 17% cepravin the rest all just sealed, with our mastitis plan to to reduce use further. I just cant see how we can benefit from more paperwork filling. We pro active with our vets, but that's driven by ourselves wanting the best for our cows, not more hurdles from milk buyers.

 

[supercow]

Not everyone is like you though , that’s the problem. A lot of doughnuts out there

 

[frederick]

Milk sure is the dairies way of trying to reduce antibiotic failures. In the uk it is simple we have too many.

The food standards agency are no longer happy and if we don't get our house in order they will force us.

The unpleasant truth is sometimes antibiotic failures end up in product that is sometimes sold. If we don't remedy this product recalls could become a big issue in the future.

Doing your bit for the industry and attending what i thought was a very good course may just prevent hundreds of thousands of pounds of product being incinerated in the future.

 

[Fergieman]

There is a push that if you have an antibiotic failure you should do the milksure course (bit like bolting the stable door after the horse has gone, so get it done before the next failure would be proactive). I havn't done it yet but plan too do it along with 2 members of staff after the new year after our vet is trained.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

I don't like that map of theirs that show all the producers location and details.
ARLA seem to have opted out of it, which has saved me a phone call.

 

[Bald Rick]

There is a push that if you have an antibiotic failure you should do the milksure course (bit like bolting the stable door after the horse has gone, so get it done before the next failure would be proactive). I havn't done it yet but plan too do it along with 2 members of staff after the new year after our vet is trained.

Yes our dairy requires you to attend the course if you have a failure

 

[farmer on a bike]

I don't like that map of theirs that show all the producers location and details.
ARLA seem to have opted out of it, which has saved me a phone call.

A few of us pointed this out and Graham W seems to have sorted it

 

[kill]

We done the first bit of the course last week and even tho we will all going well start milking next week as new entrants and organically I found it quite frightening that just 25ml's of antibiotic milk could fail 20 cows worth of milk and most pipelines leave around 100ml's in a pipeline between cows. Seperate dump lines are advised for a reason.
Also block calving several cows quickly can lead to alot of failures where a few cows wouldn't trigger a failure due to higher percentages starting to milk after dry cow therapy.
China seam to be forcing Milksure with zero tolerance to antibiotics in baby milk so we all need to be aware as China is vastly becoming a growing market that we can happily help supply.
The new tests for antibiotics sound far more sensitive and accurate than old test.
Very worthwhile training and makes one think.

 

[lazy farmer]

For our current system of mainly low input low out, we had 12 cases of mastitis on 100-120 cows, our main drug we use it Metacam for calving, dehorning other than that very little use. We have never used any of the drugs that the vets are pushing for a reduction on, and our dry cow therapy is 17% cepravin the rest all just sealed, with our mastitis plan to to reduce use further. I just cant see how we can benefit from more paperwork filling. We pro active with our vets, but that's driven by ourselves wanting the best for our cows, not more hurdles from milk buyers.

It’s really not much of a hardship. 90 minute meeting where you never know you might learn something. And 1hr on farm including the test. Barbers are paying for us to do the course too.

 

[watcher72]

It's just another bit of paper. I see neighbours have been accredited. But I wouldn't want to drink their milk!

 

[Beef farmer]

Our vet is putting pasties on. No brainer

 

[lazy farmer]

I always wonder what I’m doing wrong when so many seem to know it all. when I learn something it only makes me realise how much more there is too learn .

For what it’s worth barbers have been pushing antibiotic reductions for a while now. Us producers used to fail 1 every 350 tests which is roughly the national avg. we now fail 1 in every 2500 tests. Figures like that speak for themselves.

 

[Martyn]

I see they are charging annually for registration as the cert only last 12months. Does this mean you have to refresh every 12 months? maby if dairies refused to collect from farm that had high failer rates it would make people get it right, we always allow extra 3 days on with withdrawls. maby im turning into an old git!

 

[lazy farmer]

I see they are charging annually for registration as the cert only last 12months. Does this mean you have to refresh every 12 months? maby if dairies refused to collect from farm that had high failer rates it would make people get it right, we always allow extra 3 days on with withdrawls. maby im turning into an old git!

Why do you allow 3 extra days when a delvo test will tell you what you need to know ?

 

[Martyn]

Why do you allow 3 extra days when a delvo test will tell you what you need to know ?

We run a beef enterprise so milk goes into pasturiser and then used with beef, nothing wasted

 

[lazy farmer]

We run a beef enterprise so milk goes into pasturiser and then used with beef, nothing wasted

I have no issue with that
My milk buyer would though.

 

[Martyn]

I have no issue with that
My milk buyer would though.

What the fact antibiotic milk being used for calves? or that less milk for them to have?