Dairy Chitchat 4, an udder new thread.

Youd nearly want to stay away from the calculator, some quick maths the nov milk cheque here with 80k litres sent in @ 5%bf 3.8pr will probably be more than next years may milk cheque at a 30 cent base price and 4.0bf /3.4pr with circa 118000 litres sent in basically 30 litres a cow x 140 milkers....

The maths arent mathing as the americans would say

The real concern will be if prices stay lower for longer and no one goes bust. Then we might start thinking this downturn isn't just a cycle but a structural shift lower and we dont see milk in the 30–40c, but closer to 20–30c range going forward. The cost base will have moved and globally they can still find a margin.

Selling for a high premium isn't an easy thing to do as an exporter. Lots of people underestimate the challenge of selling

I agree, the house here is full of own brand food, super value, lidl, aldi. My wife does the shopping. I don't notice any difference.

That could be decades of smoking, or the taste buds having been killed of by my wife's cooking 😀

A penny spared, is a penny earned

It's the same with meat, most housewives look for value, they don't care if a Brazilian bullock has lost his tag. If it's a fiver cheaper

Speak to any Co op board member and you’ll get a comprehensive response on the goings on of what they’re trying to do.

The only reason the west corks are able to pay more is what they’ve invested in in the past ie flavours. Their products are better but I’m not 1000% sure it’s delivering much more. There’s problems with having a premium product too. Wasteage cause you can’t sell it and dealing with picky customers has its downsides. Having spent two summers in a cheese factory I would know.

You have to remember; very few people that aren’t asking all the same questions we are get elected to Co op boards. I remember one local fella was so anti organisation and everyone thought when he joined the bosses it would be a watershed moment. It opened his eyes now and he is now one of the Co ops strongest backers. He realised that there isn’t much more can be done and the difficulties

All that said, if farmers weren’t as fussy as they are about progress; the dairy industry would be in a much worse place. They’re kept on their toes but in fairness I’d say most are doing the best they can do.

Fully agree

How are the vending machine selling fresh milk getting on? Alot of them started up around covid and done well. I remember seeing one of the first ones in the country and people were coming for miles and queueing out to the road ( 2 metres apart ). Fairly sure they opened a cafe since which is probably the bigger earner.

Another place just has the vending machine. Doesn't seem to be that busy. As someone said you wouldn't be going down for a drop for the cornflakes!

Lot of work in that. Price doesn't seem to dear.

Another market about to go.

With a tangler from Mullingar playing a supporting role in getting the whole thing up and running.