Friday, July 31, 2009

NATIONAL YMA FINALS - the Results

Champion Handler: Dermot McCarthy of the Limerick Clare Club

Reserve Handler: Catriona Neville of the Limerick Clare Club

3rd: Laura Sinnott of the Slaney Club

Champion Calf: Hallow Sept Storm Indianink Owner: M. & P. Jones Club: Slaney Handler: Leonhard GroBpUtzl

Reserve Champion Calf: Baldonnel Goldwyn Sharon Owner: Cyril Dowling & Mervyn Eager Club: Kildare Handler: Emma Behan

Honourable Mention Calf: Rowantree Elegant Molde Owner: Damian Wynne Club: Breffni / Oriel Handler: Conor Morley

NOVICE HANDLER:
1st - Owen Laffan of the Limerick / Clare Club.Calf: Everground Gail 23 owned by Margaret Laffan.
2nd - Micheal Kirby of the Kerry ClubCalf: Akeragh LCIX Joan owned by Peter Kenneally
3rd - Alanna Maunsell of the Kerry ClubCalf: Akeragh LCIX Freda owned by Peter Kenneally
JUNIOR HANDLER:
1st - Paul Murphy of the Cork ClubCalf: Carrighdown Touch Ranger owned by George White
2nd - Christine Lynch of the Limerick / Clare ClubCalf: Ballyelan Talent Celicia owned by Tom Lynch
3rd - Cormac Desmond of the Cork ClubCalf: Lisduff Indianink 34 owned by John O'Sullivan
INTERMEDIATE HANDLER:
1st - Catriona Neville of the Limerick/Clare ClubCalf: Emerald Sam Karry owned by Donal Neville
2nd - Paul Shannon of the Breffni / Oriel ClubCalf: Glaslough Miss Petra owned by D. & K. Boyd
3rd - David Booth of the Laois / Offaly Club
SENIOR HANDLER:
1st - Laura Sinnott of the Slaney ClubCalf: Ballyboy Damion Carmen owned by Laura Sinnott
2nd - Donal Bourke of the Limerick / Clare ClubCalf: Rosstemple Golden Girl Red owned by John Curtin
3rd - Nicola Boyd of the Breffni/Oriel ClubCalf: Rockfield Drake G Muriel owned by Dominic McAdam
MATURE HANDLER:
1st - Dermot McCarthy of the Limerick/Clare Club
2nd - Gary Jones of the Slaney ClubCalf: Hallow Advent Twizzle owned by M. & P. Jones
3rd - Maria Burke of the Cork ClubCalf: Lisnacunna Toystory Luella owned by Michael O'Sullivan.

CLIPPING CLASS:
1st - Dermot McCarthy & Catriona Neville of the Limerick Clare Club
2nd - Laura Sinnott & Louise Sinnott of the Slaney Club
3rd - Paul Shannon & Colin Todd of the Breffni / Oriel Club

JUNIOR CALF:
1st - Ballyelan Talent Celicia Owner: Tom Lynch
Club - Limerick /Clare Handler: Christine Lynch
2nd - Ardskeagh Mia Dora Owner: John McNamara
Club: Limerick / Clare Handler: Stephen McInerney
3rd - Mullaghlands Champion Joan Owner: Patrick Gaynor
Club: Breffni/Oriel Handler: Colin Todd

INTERMEDIATE CALF:
1st - Hallow Sept Storm Indianink Owner:M. & P. Jones
Club: Slaney Handler: Leohard GroBpUtzl
2nd - Baldonnel Goldwyn Sharon Owner: Cyril Dowling & Mervyn Eager
Club: Kildare Handler: Emma Behan
3rd - Rosstemple Dundee Luna Owner: Richard Whelan & Kevin McGloin
Club: North Eastern Handler: Brendan Nulty

SENIOR CALF
1st - Mileen Talented Sasha Owner: David Beechinor
Club: Cork Handler: David Beechinor
2nd - Coolroehouse D Jill Owner: John A. Forrest
Club: Cork Handler: Robert Forrest
3rd - Rockfield Drake G. Muriel Owner: Dominic McAdam
Club: Breffni/Oriel Handler: Nicola Boyd

MATURE CALF
1st - Rowantree Elegant Molde Owner: Damian Wynne
Club: Breffni/Oriel Handler: Conor Morely
2nd - Glaslough Fab Francy Owner: D. & K. Boyd
Club: Breffni/Oriel Handler: Fergal McAdam
3rd - Hallow Advent Twizzle Owner: Dermot Jackson
Club: Slaney Handler: Gary Jones

AIB National Livestock Show - Dairy section

Head of Section Tommy Finlay Contact No 087-9873373

No less than 45 classes are in this section, which keeps the whole committee busy all day. Breeds included are; Montbelliarde, Jersey, Shorthorn, and Holstein Friesian. Exhibitors are sure to find something to catch their attraction with these beautiful breeds on exhibition. Some of these classes have a big prize fund of €2,500 for the winning animals, such as the Holstein In-Milk Heifer and the Senior Holstein Cow in Milk. Don’t forget a certificate of registration is required for all Pedigree and Dairy Cattle, and please remember to bring it along on show day. To help local breeders we have a confined section where the confined classes are confined to Laois, Offaly and Westmeath breeders. International Judges will be involved in the judging of animals presented.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

PICSTON SHOTTLE CELEBRATES TENTH BIRTHDAY


The outstanding Holstein sire Picston Shottle has recently celebrated his tenth birthday, and is still hard at work. Since his entry into the Genus ABS proven sire stud in 2004, Shottle has repeatedly set new standards and been a consistent world beater.

During his illustrious career, Shottle has topped the UK foot and leg rankings a staggering 15 times, has been consistently at the top of the UK type rankings, is in the top 10 for Index ranking in five countries, including being number one in the USA, Canada and Italy. With a classification of EX96 points, he is the joint highest classified bull in the UK.

Shottle was born on July 23rd 1999 at Spot Acre Grange near Stafford, the home of the Pickford family and Picston Holsteins. His Dam, Condon Aero Sharon EX91, part owned by the Pickford family and Tallent Holsteins in Cumbria, is the highest UK Brood star cow at 60 stars and was voted global cow of the year by Holstein International in 2007. His sire was Carole Prelude Mtoto.

He was purchased by Genus ABS and after testing through the Cornerstone programme entered the main stud in 2004, since then he has sold over 500,000 doses of semen. He has been exported to over 30 countries and has over 14,000 milking daughters worldwide with more than 28,000 registered daughters in the UK alone. New daughters are being registered at the incredible rate of 15 per day.

Shottle daughters are in high demand and achieve consistently high prices including Wabash-Way Emily Ann who made $630,000 at the Global Glamour Sale in 2008. Shottle is also widely used as a sire of sons and has been used by most AI companies. He is renowned for his ability to produce daughters combining outstanding production, type and management traits.

His success has turned Shottle into a bovine celebrity and in addition to regular appearance in the farming press his fame has seen him mentioned in The Times, Financial Times, Independent and even Playboy magazine.

Sires of the quality of Shottle come along very infrequently and we are delighted he is continuing to produce into his tenth year,” comments Hugh Ratcliffe, Genus ABS European Business Development Manager for Dairy Genetics. “He has already made a huge impact in global Holstein breeding and his impact will continue to be felt for many years to come.”

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

REPORT: Irish Pure Friesian OPEN DAY

The Irish Pure Friesian Club, had a very successful open day at the Firoda Herd of Peadar and Maureen Healy and family on Saturday 25thth July 2009.

It was a very successful day with a very large attendance despite the present doom and gloom over milk prices .

Peader Healy and family are farming in very difficult conditions in Firoda near Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny. The farm ,on the Castlecomer plateau has very heavy soils, to the extent that most of it needs draining as often as more free draining soil would need re-seeding. If neglected for any length of time the land would very quickly revert to rushes and furze. The land is mole drained and gravel filled on a regular basis to make the ground more suitable for Dairy Farming. Grassland management on this soil type is very challenging, especially in a wet spring. Peader tries to keep cows out as much as possible but young stock had to be rehoused a number of times this spring as conditions were just too wet. It is in these conditions that the Firoda Pedigree herd of Pure Friesian cows has survived and even flourished over the last 60 years. Peader and his father before him have stuck with a Pure Friesian herd of cows over the years as in their experience this is the most suited cow to this farming system.

ADDED VALUE:Peadar uses best practice in breeding of Pedigree registration, Classification, Milk recording and selects high milk Friesian bulls with good EBI to achieve his goals. Peadar commented on the importance of maintaining efficiency of milk yield in the breed.Peadar has successfully built in Longevity and fertility in his cows, 25 cows on the farm average 5 lactations with an average EBI 105.
This feature of the herd allows him sell 20 to 30 heifers per year. The Teagasc advisor Tom Downey expressed this “added value” as the equivalent of six cent per litre in the milk price. There is always a huge demand for breeding stock from the farm.. Satisfied customers come back year after year with very little advertising needed, a huge endorsement for Peader's breeding policy. The income from these sales helps to increase overall farm output annually so this is an 80 cow herd punching well above it's weight.
Longlife Cows at Firoda
Following on was a special presentation of 6 cows from the “ Twink” cow families showing four generation of breeding still milking on the farm.These cows had an average of 40 lactations in total with one cow on her 12th Lactation. They tipify what the Friesian breed is all about. These are durable, longlife, fertile cows that are capable of producing large volume of milk with excellent solids and breed back in calf every year.There is great variation in the breed to suit all farming systems..
Herd Average:.The herd average for 2008 is 1353 gallons @ 3.63 % Fat, 3.54 %
Grassland management a key factor in profitability A very large crowd gathered at the Teagasc discussion where the local adviser Tom Downey spoke on the difficult grazing conditions on the farm and showed how the EBI sub Indexes can be used to improve fertility and production.
IHFA:
John Kirby a member of the field staff at IHFA gave a practical demonstration on Linear scoring and how breeding for correct conformation,especially in feet and Legs and udders can improve survivability.Charles Gallagher CE of IHFA commented on the “ Variation “ the Pure Friesian brings to the Black and White breed and how the Firoda herd is an example to all dairy farmers of what can be achieved by staying within the breed.This is what makes the breed different and the envy of all other Dairy Breeds.The Irish Pure Friesian has the fertility ,survivability coupled with efficiency of production.
The evening ended with welcome refreshments provided by the Healy family.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

NATIONAL YMA FINALS 2009


Tues / Weds 28th & 29th July
Cillin Hill Centre, Kilkenny.
• Handler classes start at 3pm on the Tuesday evening judged by Lucy Carter.
(Please note change of time)
• Dinner will be held in the centre after the handler classes.
• All back to the Springhill Court Hotel for disco till 12.30.
• Clipping competition will begin at 10am
• Calf classes start at 11.20am on Wednesday morning judged by Jaume Serrabassa.
(Please note change of time)
• Results of clipping competition, club leader board presentation)
• Accommodation can be booked in the Springhill Court Hotel
(Ring 056 7721122 & book under the IHFA reservation.)
NEW CLASS:
This year will see the introduction of a clipping competition. This competition will be held on the 29th of July (Wednesday) and will begin at 10 am and will be judged by the Handling Judge. Each club is encouraged to enter a team consisting of two people, one of which must be 15 years or younger and the other person to be of any YMA age. Each club is asked to bring along an extra calf for this competition. The calves must be born in 2008. They should have a full coat of hair and not clipped within the last 6 weeks. All calves will be inspected before the competition begins. Team points to a maximum 15 points are awarded for this along with a prize.

There is a time limit 70 minutes, by which time all calves must be fully clipped including top lines set.

This competition is designed to encourage young people to clip and prepare their own animals while also becoming proficient in the skills of clipping. It is essential that all co-ordinators and club secretaries encourage members to put a team together for this class as it is essential that we promote the skills of clipping in order for the progression of the YMA in years to come.

Come watch the future breeders display their skills, all welcome.

Friesian Open Day - Saturday 25th July '09


Firoda Herd - Peadar Healy,
Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.


Peadar Healy and family are farming in very difficult conditions in Firoda near Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny. The land is very heavy, to the extent that most of it needs draining as often as more free draining soil would need re-seeding. If neglected for any length of time the land would very quickly revert to rushes and furze. Hundreds of tonnes of drainage stone have been put into the soil over the years with mole ploughs and diggers in an attempt to make the ground more suitable for Dairy Farming. Grassland management on this soil type is very challenging, especially in a wet spring. Peader tries to keep cows out as much as possible but young stock had to be rehoused a number of times this spring as conditions were just too wet. Cows also had to be fed extra concentrates this spring to keep up production and to hold cow condition. It is in these conditions that the Firoda Pedigree herd of Pure Friesian cows has survived and even flourished over the last 60 years. Peader and his father before him have stuck with a Pure Friesian herd of cows over the years as this is the type of cow most suited to dealing with the conditions experienced on the farm. There is always a huge demand for breeding stock from the farm. As herd fertility and survivability is very good, 20 to 30 heifers can be sold after calving each year. About the same number of bull calves are reared on each year and sold as Stock Bulls. Satisfied customers come back year after year with very little advertising needed, a huge endorsement for Peader's breeding policy. The income from these sales helps to increase overall farm output annually so this is an 80 cow herd punching well above it's weight. This year Peadar has been selected by the Irish Pure Friesian Club to host their open day. All cows are Pedigree Registered, Milk Recorded and Type Classified so there will be a lot of information about hows the cows are performing on the day. Peader has a 12th lactation cow in the herd as well as 3 10th lactation cows which will be on view on the day to show how well the breed wears and survives, even in difficult conditions. Also on view will be 4 generations of the same cow family all milking in the herd with excellent conformation and production. EBI figures, Fertility and production performance and an explanation of the Type Classification system will all be on view on the day and everyone is welcome to attend.

The farm is situated between Castlecomer and Ballyragget and will be signposted from both. The Open Day will be held on Saturday 25th July at 2pm.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Carbery protest attack Minister Smiths car.


Inspector Jerry Lacey falls in front of a ministerial car amid angry scenes outside the Carbery Group plant in Ballineen, Cork, as farmers protest over the REPS cuts during a visit from Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith yesterday.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Open day sale report and results

MONAMORE CELEBRATION OPEN DAY SALE

The Monamore Sale in conjunction with the the IHFA National Open Day saw a very good tradefor elite youngstock from Tom Kellys Monamore Herd.Topping the sale at 7,700 gns was MONAMORE GOLDWYNS LULU a November 2007 Braedale Goldwyn daughter who had been inseminated in May to Mr Sam.This heifer was backed by 6 successive generations of (EX) dams from the famousHanoverhill Lulu family. Her dam Monamore Lee Lulu (EX94-5E) won 2nd Snr Cow in Milkat The Irish National Dairy Show 2006 & was just fresh on her 7th lactation.Lee Lulu hadyields to 9,766 kg 4.46%BF 3.57%PR. The heifer was purchased by a Co.Armagh breeder.
The 2nd high price was 4,800 gns for the September 2008 born MONAMORE SHOTTLESELEGEANCE. This Picston Shottle daughter is out of a (VG86-2YR) Durham-Gdam is an(EX91) Linjet & the 3dam is the famous KRULL BROKER ELEGANCE (EX96-USA).

Service age bulls sold to 2,400 gns for the April 2008 born Monamore Redemption going toa breeder in South Wales. He was born from an imported USA embryo. His dam is MissRuby Lee Tuesday(EX-USA) is a daughter of the 2X World Dairy Expo Red & White ChampionLAVENDER RUBY REDROSE (EX96-USA).

Averages: Females 2,882 Euro gns.
Auctioneers: TAAFFE AUCTIONS 00-353-(0)41-9881288

HERDS COMPETITION RESULTS
Under 70
1st David Boyd, Mullaghduff, Glaslough, Co. Monaghan.
2nd Mervyn & Philip Jones, Killowen, Gorey, Co. Wexford.
3rd Damian Wynne, Slievebricken, Ballyconnel, Co. Cavan.

Over 70
1st Paul Hannan, Friarstown, Crecora, Co. Limerick.
2nd John Barrett & Sons, The Laurels, Lehenaghmore, Togher, Co. Cork.
3rd Michael McDonnell, Cannontown, Termonfeckin, Drogheda, Co. Louth.

Spring Calving
1st Tony & William Horgan, Killeen, Killarney, Co. Kerry.
2nd Eamon McLoughney, Ballythomas, Ardcroney, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
3rd Kevin & Michael Gunn, Carrowclougher, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

TOP EBI Results

Over 70 Cows
Trevor Lockhart, Ballyally, Ramelton, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

Under 70 Cows
Joint Winners:Liam O'Grady, Ballyglass, Gurteen, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway.
John & Marion Collins, Drominmacturlough, Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick.

Spring Calving
Brendan Meade, White Leas, Stamullen, Co. Meath.

STOCKJUDGING RESULTS

Under 18 Team Results
1st Northern Ireland (Hannah Lilburn, Andrew Patterson, Heather Martin)
2nd Slaney (Geoffrey Chapman, Louise Sinnott, Robert Condren)
3rd Cork (Michael White, Rachel White, Padraig Hayes)

18 - 30 Team Results
1st Northern Ireland (John McCormick, Paul Dunne, Louise Graham)
2nd North Eastern (John Moore, Leo Collins, Richard Whelan Jr.)
3rd Breffni / Oriel (Andrew Moore, Brendan Greenan, James Greenan)

Senior Team Results
1st Northern Ireland (Malcolm McLean, Mark Logan, Ashley Fleming)
2nd Breffni / Oriel (Kenneth Boyd, David Boyd, Sandy Moore)
3rd Larry Feeney, Kenneth Conroy, Kevin Loughlin

Individual Results:
Under 18 Hannah Lilburn
18 - 30 Louise Graham
Senior Mark Logan

2009 IHFA Open Day - sponsored by Progressive Genetics

"Celebration of 60 years of Black & White breeding"

The Irish Holstein Friesian Association, IHFA had a very successful Open Day at the Monamore Herd of Tom & Rhona Kelly and family on Wednesday 24th June 2009.

It was a very successful day with the cream of Dairy farmers and breeders from Cork to Donegal attending. There were many breeders from N. Ireland UK and International visitors. It is estimated that over 2,000 attended the event. The weather was lovely and despite the present doom and gloom over milk prices there was a great buzz in the place. There were a large number of commercial stands. Lely featured their latest innovation in Robotic milking machines.The National Dairy Council gave nutritional advice on their stand with a novely penalty shoot out to keep children occupied.

Tom established the Monamore herd in 1979 with some of the great family names such as Torch, Bunty, Fedora, Vera, ... from his late father's JJ Kelly's famous herd the "Moneymore Herd". Coincidentally it is 60 years since the foundation of the Moneymore herd and some of the great foundation cow families still thrive in the Monamore herd to this day.

Tom purchased some of the top International cow families such as Miss America, Roxy, Darlene, Lulu, Goldrose.. to broaden the base of the herd and he has successfully bred these families to achieve his breeding goals.The herd supplies of 220 cows and followers supply milk for liquid consumption to Winter. All feed where possible is homegrown. The herd average for 2008 is 9,800 milk kgs @ 3.64% Fat, 3.35% Pr Classification socres: 60 EX 105 VG.

There was a varied schedule of events with interesting topics and events for all dairy farmers.The Open Day commenced with an Opening address from Mairead Lavery, Chairperson of Agri Aware and editor of country Living Magazine in the Irish Farmers Journal. She stressed the importance of keeping the consumer informed on Quality Irish food and improving the image of Irish farming, also the contribution farmers make to the quality of life in the countryside and the environment. This was followed with the traditional Interclub Stockjudging. There were Junior, Intermediate and Senior teams from 16 clubs including a team from Northern Ireland.

The Master Judges for the day, Ken Proctor, Paul Hannan and Ricky Barrett then gave their reasons for their placings. This was followed by a presentation of the heifers by Alan Dorrian, Herdsman at Monamore.

Tom presented the remaining classes giving details on background breeding and production.

Longlife Cows at MonamoreFollowing on was a special presentation of 6 cows from the various cow families developed at Monamore namely Torch, Breeze, Lulu and Darlene They tipify what this great Black & White breed is all about. These are durable, longlife, fertile cows that are capable of producing large volume of milk with excellent solids and breed back in calf every year.Their lifetime average yield 58245 Kgs Milk , 4165Kgs Fat +Protein ,3.41 %Protein, Average lactation 6. All are classified EX.

There are cows from the Feedora cow family that go back to Volume 1 of the herd book which is celebrating its 100 year anniversity this year.

Tom emphasized the role and services of IHFA of Pedigree Holstein Friesian Registration, Ancestry recording, Linear scoring and Classification in adding value and using best breeding practice of AI and Milk Recording.

Grassland management a key factor in profitability
A very large crowd gathered at the Teagasc forum where the local adviser Tom Lalor along with Dr. Joe Patton Presented the “Grass Wedge” concept of measuring and monitoring grass on all the paddocks on the farm.The cover per cow on Tom’s farm was 186 Kgs which is at the upper end of the range and excellent for high yielding cows. Grass is capable of sustaining 26-28 litres of milk production .This is a key profit component in all milk production systems .

Presentations of Awards
The winners of the National Herds Competition , Interclub stockjudging, Macra Stockjudging and the Diamond and Gold awards for top achieving cows were presented with their prizes.

Celebration Sale
30 lots of young stock with impeccable pedigree were on offer. These represented national and international cow families.There was a buoyant atmosphere with excellent prices on the day.

Celebration BBQ
The evening ended with a celebration barbecue provided by the Kelly family which helped create a carnival atmosphere and an end to a very successful day.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Charleville show results

http://www.charlevilleshow.com/Results%202009/Dairy%2082%20-%2098%202009.doc

Link above will give you complete Charleville show results. Congratulations to the Frawleys on a great win with yet another amazing Susie Mist.

Ireland in Praise of EU Dairy Support

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD welcomed the decision of the Milk Management Committee meeting yesterday in Brussels to extend the private storage aid scheme for butter from 15th August, when the scheme would normally close, until 28th February 2010.

The scheme was introduced in January this year, two months ahead of schedule because of the difficult market situation. The Minister also welcomed the publication of Commission proposals aimed at extending public intervention for butter and skimmed milk powder and he will travel to Brussels on Monday to press the Council to support these measures.

Speaking ahead of that meeting, Minister Smith said: "the effect of these measures is such that both public and private storage arrangements will remain in place continuously until August 2010. Even then, should the market situation warrant it, public intervention will remain open until August 2011". The Minister said that these strong signals from the Community reflected the view at high political level of the continued importance of the dairy sector to the EU and its willingness to provide as much support as possible to address the current volatile international dairy market situation.

Minister Smith has been at the forefront in pressing the Commission to activate the full range of market supports and has remained in constant touch with the Commissioner since last November when the APS scheme for butter was first announced. Since then significant progress has been made in utilising the full range of supports.

These have assisted in stabilising the market though the Minister made clear his view that resolving difficulties on the demand side was the key to improving returns to farmers and processors. "I will continue to ensure that the Community market measures play a full role in helping to restore the market to balance and I believe that these new measures should further assist in bringing that situation about".

The Minister pressed very hard during last year's Health Check negotiations for the retention of the market measures that are so crucial now in maintaining balance in the internal market.
Concluding, the Minister said: "While I accept that prices remain at an unacceptably low level I will again take the opportunity to mobilise colleagues in the Council of Ministers for their continued support in favour of actions in the dairy market. Such action is absolutely essential to support the Dairy Sector through a difficult period. I will continue to highlight the need to use in the most effective way possible all Market Management measures".

The Minister will also have a separate meeting with Commissioner Fischer Boel.

Ireland Granted Brucellosis Free Status

IFA Deputy President Derek Deane said the decision by the EU Commission to grant Ireland Brucellosis-free status was welcome, but it was disappointing that the Minister for Agriculture has not returned the full €15m in cost reductions allowable to farmers. Mr Deane said, “the Minister’s announcement represents a missed opportunity to deliver significant savings to farmers, who have played a pivotal role in securing Brucellosis-free status. Farmers will feel let down by the Minister’s failure to reward the sustained efforts of the farming community in achieving this milestone. IFA has identified control relaxation that will bring about major cost reduction for farmers, while at the same time protecting the national herd. These have been presented to the Minister and his senior officials as far back as October, 2008.” Mr Deane said there is no reason why the Minister cannot extend the 60-day pre-movement test to older animals and significantly reduce the level of annual blood testing. He said the Minister must revisit this between now and the implementation of changes. Derek Deane said the Minister can extend the 60 days pre-movement test requirement to only heifers over 24 months and all cows/in-calf heifers. This would represent savings of €5m for farmers, with 350,000 animals in this age bracket sold annually either farm to farm or through marts. Extending the annual herd test requirement to 24 months will represent savings of €2.5m to farmers, but in the current climate, maintaining the annual round test is an unnecessary cost. The milk ring test and cull cow monitoring at factories, combined with minimal blood testing, would provide adequate national monitoring, which would return savings of €7.5m to farmers.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Peter Applebome in the NY Times - sound familliar?

It’s never been an easy life. Up at 4:30 for the first milking, finish up around 8 at night. You make a living, but not much of one, which is why the average age of dairy farmers keeps creeping up into the 50s and 60s. The big payday is when you get out of it and sell your land.

“It’s a profession that if you weren’t born into it, no one would do it,” said Donald Hosking, who with his wife, Joanne, raises 100 Holsteins on 81 lovely rolling acres in Delaware County at the far reaches of the Catskills. “We just don’t know any better.”

So back when they started dairy farming on Roses Brook Road 22 years ago, there were seven other dairy farms on the road. Now one other is still hanging on, and the rest have been sold to lawyers, architects, commodity brokers from the city and suburbs. In 1998, there were 8,700 dairy farmers in New York. Now there are 5,700.

For all the vagaries of markets and weather and balky cows, there used to be a hazy ostensible logic to the business. Now it’s a global market complicated by commodities traders, the balance between imports and exports, the needs of agri-conglomerates, and the role played by strange new players like the imported milk protein concentrates, or M.P.C.’s, which some say are distorting the market with unregulated and potentially unsafe milk substitutes used in cheeses and dips.

But the bottom line seems to be that the global recession slammed the brakes on demand — fewer restaurant visits, less ice cream, less cheese — at a time of peak supply. Two years ago, Mr. Hosking was making about $20 per 100 pounds of milk. Now he’s making about $10.85. Meanwhile his costs — grain, fuel, high-protein feed — have gone up about 50 percent. Last year he took out about $40,000 from savings to keep going. This year it will be about $50,000. Farmers who have tapped out their equity — a growing number — could be gone in months.

“It’s 1973 prices and 2009 costs,” he said. “It still costs X number of dollars to run the farm, no matter what you’re bringing in. Detroit can shut down when their lots are full. We still have to feed and milk our cows every day.”

Dave Rama, who has a cattle auction business in Delhi, said everyone was in the same boat, with the cost of producing milk exceeding its price.

“I am learning more about bankruptcy than I ever intended to learn,” Mr. Rama said.
He drives from Mr. Hosking’s farm to Unadilla, the hills impossibly green from all the rain, grain silos poking into the blue sky. There he meets two of the younger farmers, Luke and Derek Johnson, 32 and 24, Cornell ag achool grads taking over their family farm. There are 300 cows and beehives and fields of corn, the bounty of American agriculture everywhere you turn.

LUKE JOHNSON says he’s always been an optimist, and he figures this will work out, too. He’s lucky to have a highly regarded farm operation, though he worries about his neighbors and already has $300,000 in debt against $500,000 in equity in cows and machinery. Still, he says: “It’s hard to see good farmers desperate. I was just in California at the national Holstein convention, and all the delegates there had desperate looks on their faces, as if they didn’t know what was going to happen next.”

HOBART, N.Y. – It all seems far away. We don’t see where our food comes from, and who could pay attention anyway, what with the endless cavalcade of amusements that’s the summer news — the randy governors and senators, Jon and Kate, poor, put-upon Sarah Palin, the farewell to M.J.? But maybe that’s the idea. In the real world around the corner and in distant places like Hobart and Delhi and Unadilla it’s not getting better and it’s not getting clearer, so bring on the freak shows, the more the merrier.

Mike Van Amburgh is an animal science professor at Cornell who grew up on an Ohio dairy farm. “I’m almost 50 years old, and in my lifetime it’s never been this bad,” he said. “Everyone’s in the red.”

For the dairy farmers, he said, absent a sudden worldwide boom pumping up demand, the most likely result is a historic washout of dairy farmers — some say 10 percent, 20 percent or more around the end of the year — that would reduce supply, raise prices and reset the bar.

Which kind of dairymen, he was asked, are in the biggest trouble?

“Everybody,” he replied.

Last Royal Champion


The last ever Champion Holstein cow at the Royal Show was awarded to Hendomen Arlene 20 jointly owned by Mark Knutsford (Cheshire) and Mike Roberts (Shropshire). The history making animal is sired by Comestar Outside and took Best Udder Award as well as the Holstein Championship. The Royal Show closes its door this week after 170 years owing to financial difficulties.
The third lactation animal was bred by F G Windsor & Sons and proved a popular ringside choice for Holstein judge Mick Gould. Arlene freshened in October 2008 and is currently yielding 55kgs per day and produced over 13,000kgs milk during her second lactation. The 2009 Royal Show Holstein Champion has also produced 9 embryos to Goldwyn.

The Royal Show 2009

Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, UK
July 8, 2009

Champion: Hendomen Arlene 20 (Comestar Outside-ET),1st Third Calver, Riverdane Holsteins & M Roberts

Reserve Champion: Riverdane Ladino Sara (Ladino Park Talent-Imp-ET), 1st Second Calver, Luke & Isaac Lancaster

Honourable Mention: Almondene Whitney (Oseeana Astronomical-ET), 2nd Second Calver, Blythe Farms & FR Lawson

Champion Heifer In Milk: Nethervale Jedar Belhazel (Nethervalley Jedar-ET), 1st Junior Heifer in Milk, Luke & Isaac Lancaster

Reserve Champion Heifer In Milk: Aintree Goldwyn Nugget (Braedale Goldwyn), 2nd Junior Heifer in Milk, RW Maddock

Junior Champion: Alderbarrow Samuel Carla (Alderbarrow Samuel-ET), 1st Heifer born May ’08 – July ’08, B & L Whitfield & Sons

Reserve Junior Champion: Wyndford Mr Sam Rebecca 36 (Regancrest-MR Drham Sam-ET), 2nd Heifer born May ’08 – July ’08, RW Maddocks

Champion Bred & Owned: Wyndford Rebecca 13(Wa-Del Convincer-ET), 1st Senior Cow, RW Maddocks

Reserve Champion Bred & Owned: Riverdane Jordan Dellia (Roylane Jordan-ET), 1st Senior Heifer In Milk, Riverdane Holsteins