TheDairySite Newsletter - 19 February 2010

TheDairySite Weekly Newsletter

Friday 19th February 2010

Our Sponsors: Helping keep you updated for free!

ON-LINE SHOP Â Â Â News Â Â Â Company News Â Â Â Events Â Â Â Articles Â Â Â Diseases Â Â Â Treatments Â Â Â Employment Â Â Â Cattle Breeds Â Â Â SEARCH

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Action Needed To Assist Milk Prices In 2010

The Irish Dairy Forum, which brings together the leaders of stakeholders in the dairy industry including co-ops, industry organisations and the Irish Dairy Board, was reconvened last week.

The Dairy Forum aims to mobilise the entire dairy industry to form a common front to ensure that the Irish Government and the EU Commission are clear that, for dairy farmers, the dairy crisis is not over.

New dairy code of welfare in New Zealand is encouraging all farmers to adopt the highest standards of husbandry, care and handling.

Also in New Zealand, international milk and milk products standards came closer to becoming reality, when at the ninth Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (CCMMP) meeting a new draft standard for drinks based on fermented milk was adopted.

Internationally-agreed standards will be invaluable for trading companies, maintaining dairy commodity values and ensuring quality products for the consumer.

Dairy Australia has said that farmers should be cautiously optimistic over the coming months as milk prices and water allocations improve.

An investigation in Norway has shown that whilst conventional cows have higher yields, organic cows have a lower somatic cell count. Researchers found no differences in AI or calving intervals.

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 3 new features this week:

Balance Rations To Avoid Rumen Problems
We all know that corn silage in a cows diet is beneficial, but as with all good things, the amount should be balanced in the ration carefully to prevent health problems such as lameness and acidosis, warns North Dakota State University dairy specialist, J.W.Schroeder.

US Feed Outlook - February 2010
An increase in domestic demand for feed grains has been fuelled by higher demand for ethanol, according to this month's Feed Outlook Report from USDA Economic Research Service.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates - February 2010
Cattle price forecasts for 2010 are lowered as larger numbers of fed cattle are expected to pressure prices, according to the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates for February 2010.