Latest data from the latest Milkminder costed herds report, shows that increased butterfat and protein percentages led to a 0.26p per litre equivalent improvement for August 2017, in comparison to 2016.

Through careful attention to balanced feeding, Nigel Davies, national consultancy manager at Promar, said the latest figures from the company's Milkminder costed herds revealed improvements in butterfat and protein to 3.97% and 3.27% respectively for the average producer in the sample.

“In a period of the summer that proved challenging for the management of fodder in some areas, for producers to achieve an increase of over 0.04% in both butterfat and protein levels, is very positive news,” he explains.

“On a typical manufacturing contract, this is the equivalent to an extra 0.26ppl milk price. And, although this positive increase is not much when compared to the fluctuating commodity milk price and the level of market volatility witnessed in recent years; it’s important to remember that all year-on-year improvement really does count towards bolstering the bottom line.”

Milkminder National Average Monthly Report

Stock August 2017 2016

Cows in herd 206.7 201.0

Cows in milk 172.0 168.7

No cow + heifer calvings 15 +5 15 + 6

No of cows leaving herd 4 4

Milk

Total milk produced (l) 131,441 125,729

Yield/cow in milk/day 24.6 24.0

Yield from grazed forage/cow/day 5.9 5.6

Yield from all forage/cow/day 8.3 8.9

Butterfat (%) 3.970 3.931

Protein (%) 3.267 3.223

Urea (mg/l) 192 181

Cell count:hygiene 178:26 186:24

Milk price (p/l) 29.485 22.050

Total milk value (£) 38,755 27,723

Feed

Concentrate use/l (kg) 0.31 0.29

Total concentrate use (t) 40,963 36,861

Concentrate price/t (£) 217 198

Other feed cost (£) 240 226

Total feed cost (£) 9121 7528

Feed cost/l (p) 6.94 5.99

Total conc.equiv at 86%DM (t) 42.690 38.4

Margins

Margin over purchased feed/l (p) 22.55 16.06

Margin over purchased feed/cow (£) 143 100

Margin over purchased feed for herd (£) 29,634 20,195