TheDairySite Newsletter - 3 December 2010

TheDairySite Weekly Newsletter

Friday 3rd December 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: Weather Affects Dairy Producers Both Sides Of The Globe

Dry conditions have hit New Zealand months too soon, affecting soil moisture and grass growth.

New Zealand has suffered an unusually wet winter, coupled with the early higher than normal temperatures, this does not bode well for grass growth.

Federated Farmers Waikato provincial president, Stew Wadey advises farmers, who are struggling to lower stocking rates, in order to ensure that feed supplies don't run out.

On the other hand, the UK has experienced some of the coldest weather conditions ever recorded. Snow has caused numerous disruptions across the country and with this in mind the National Farmers' Union has issued a number of recommendations to help producers deal with the cold snap.

Farmers are being advised to stock up on animal feed, bedding and fuel. Should milk collection not be possible, farmers must be aware of how long milk can be stored and if necessary, have an agricultural waste exemption for the disposal of milk on farmland.

Finally, foot-and-mouth disease is spreading across South Korea. To date, 55,000 animals have been culled in an attempt to contain the outbreak.

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 4 new features this week:

Producing Omega 3 Enriched Milk In Spain
Dairy farmers in Europe are crying out for more money for their milk, with many going out of business. Despite this, Stuart Lumb speaks with one Spanish dairy business, which is in the middle of a 30 million Euro expansion project.

Feeding The Animals That Feed Us
Feeding the animals that feed us is a report by the Soil Association, which opens the urgently needed debate on how we can move away from feeding our farm animals grains and imported proteins, and promotes more sustainable alternatives such as increased grazing and use of home-grown feed.

Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook - November 2010
Beef exports are expected to continue in an upward trend, whilst milk production is expected to be limited due to soaring feed costs according to the latest Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook from the USDA's Economic Research Service.

FAO Food Outlook - November 2010
The latest Global Market Outlook for animal products from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).