After a very strong start to the 2014-15 production season milk intakes fell behind last year for the first time this season during January. On a season to date basis production remains 4.3% ahead of the same time last.
However milk flows are expected to drop away quicker than normal over the remainder of the season due to reduced pasture growth. Soil moisture levels are well below normal for this time of the season which in turn means pasture growth is less than normal which is reducing milk flows.
The low farmgate milk price is also constraining milk production. Farmers are wary of spending large sums of money on supplementary feed to make up for shortfalls in pasture production. Instead dairy farmers are utilising existing supplementary feed such as hay, grass silage and maize silage and altering farm management practices to reduce feed demand. Low producing and empty cows are being culled earlier than normal, and some cows are being milked less frequently ie once a day or every 16 hours instead of twice a day.
The AgriHQ Milk Production Predictor indicates that milk intakes for the entire 2014-15 season will be similar to the 2013-14 season. Milk intakes are expected to slow further in the final three months of the season as more cows are dried off as daily milk flows decrease.
For more information about the AgriHQ Milk Production Predictor please click here.
