TheDairySite Newsletter - 19 November 2010

TheDairySite Weekly Newsletter

Friday 19th November 2010

Our Sponsors Helping keep you updated for free!

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

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Supply Shortages Impact World Market

China and India are feeling the pressure of supply shortages, which are forcing the two countries to increase imports of dairy products.

In China, domestic demand for dairy products is rising by between five to six per cent per year, however Chinese milk production fell below official figures in 2008 and 2009.

India has traditionally met local dairy demand from local production, however, demand is increasing rapidly due to changing demographics. Whilst demand is rising, pressures of poor weather and rising feed prices are having negative effects on milk production.

The main concern for India is the supply of fats. In 2009, butter disappeared of retailers shelves for a month, and processors were forced to buy in fats on the world market.

Plans for the UK's first 'mega dairy' have been resubmitted this week, with a substantial reduction in cow numbers.

Originally, the proposal was for an 8,100 cow dairy herd, but it was withdrawn earlier this year due to environmental concerns. The resubmitted application is for 3,770 cows.

Despite it being essentially a larger scale version of many existing UK farms, the application has received a substantial amount of bad publicity, mostly on grounds of welfare.

As well as dramatically reducing cow numbers, the new application also includes access to outdoor grazing for the herd in the summer months - as opposed to being housed all year round.

The final decision is expected in three to four months.

Bluetongue update: Farmers in the EU will potentially be able to protect their livestock from bluetongue, by using a preventive vaccination within a bluetongue free area for the first time after the EU announced proposals to amend its directive.

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 4 new features this week:

Will High Cereal Prices Impact UK Cattle Supply?
Writing for TheCattleSite, EBLEX senior economist Mark Topliff looks at how high cereal prices will affect future cattle supplies.

Feeding Linseed Reduces Methane Production
Methane output from dairy cows can be decreased by up to 40 per cent by including 150 g/kg DM extruded linseeds in the diet without affecting intake or milk yield, according to two studies carried out by Michel Doreau and his team at INRA in France.

The New Zealand Farming System
Speaking at the Farmers Forum on Business Start-up at the Chinese Yangling Agricultural High Tech Fair, President of Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Don Nicolson defends the New Zealand farming system.

Health And Welfare Of Cattle Transported In Late Pregnancy
The number of pregnant cattle that are being transported long distances is increasing, which is why the Veterinary Laboratory Agency has put together a leaflet on statutory requirements and risk advice for transportation of cows in late pregnancy.

Company News

EUROTIER: Improved Business Climate For Farmers
GERMANY - The economic environment for European farmers continues to improve according to the results of the DLG Trend Monitor survey for Europe conducted this autumn by the DLG in conjunction with Europe's leading agricultural market think tank, the Kleffmann Group (Lüdinghausen/Westphalia).

Global Dairy Cattle Industry News