TheDairySite Newsletter - 26 November

TheDairySite Weekly Newsletter

Friday 26th November 2010

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Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: Unrest Stirs In Europe

Following two recent protests blockading Tesco depots in Southampton and Hinckley in the UK, Farmers For Action (FFA) is planning to step up the protests in the run up to Christmas.

Chairman David Handley explained that the demonstrations would continue until supermarkets were willing to hold talks with the farmers and negotiate the milk price.

With more and more farmers struggling to make a living because of low milk prices and increasing costs of production, Mr Handley said that radical action needs to be taken.

The demonstrations will culminate in the second week of December, with a mass protest across the country.

Last week, Irish farmers protested outside Tescos in County Cavan over the failure of retailers to return a viable price through the food chain, to producers whose livelihoods are threatened because of mounting losses.

Farmers accused retailers of making 40 per cent margins on their produce, whilst local businesses make significant losses.

National Farmers' Union (NFU) Scotland Vice-President Allan Bowie said: “With threats of direct action and milk prices to farmers languishing below the cost of production, the pressure is on for retailers to take greater responsibility for their words and actions.

President, Jim McLaren said recently: “I have every sympathy with those who feel the need to resort to direct action to vent their frustration and we will work with them to achieve very similar goals. This winter we will continue to take the argument direct to the supermarkets, and if we need to do that on their doorsteps for them to listen, then so be it. "

Charlotte Johnston

TheCattleSite Book Focus

Building for the Cow
The cows and the workers should be the priorities in barn design. Comfortable cows stay healthy and productive. The same is true for people, when they are able to work in a pleasant and uplifting environment.
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This Week's Feature Articles

We have 3 new features this week:

Preventing Chronic Mastitis Infections
Instead of focusing on cows with very high cell counts, should farmers focus more on cows with moderately high cell counts in a bid to prevent the infection worsening, asked Andrew Biggs, from The Vale Veterinary Group in Devon, South England at a recent Pfizer press briefing. Charlotte Johnston, TheCattleSite junior editor reports.

Cattle Dehorning And Alternatives In The EU
This study, on the improved methods for animal-friendly production, in particular on alternatives to the dehorning of cattle was written by the Directorate General for Health and Consumers, Animal Health and Welfare Directorate.

Feed Outlook - November 2010
Lower yields have reduced the US corn crop but it is still predicted to be the third largest ever, according to Allen Baker, Edward Allen, Heather Lutman and Yonas Hamda in the latest report from the USDA Economic Research Service.

Company News

Take Caution When Selecting Flukicide
UK - Leading experts are urging farmers to limit their use of triclabendazole (TCBZ) for treating liver fluke in cattle, because over-use can result in increased risk of parasite resistance to the drug, and therefore reduced usefulness for treating sheep.

EUROTIER - Show Moved Modern Agriculture Forward
GERMANY - The number of visitors reached a record of more than 140,000 livestock farmers and specialists from all over the world. Of these, 23,500 were international visitors, and BioEnergy Decentral was a resounding success, say the organisers.

Global Dairy Cattle Industry News