DairyNZ lifts breakeven milk price forecast to $8.68 for 2025/26 season
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Milk cooling affects milk quality and the faster the milk is cooled after milking, the better the quality when it is collected from the farm, says DairyNZ.
Choosing the right cooling system for your farm means lower energy costs.
Milk cooling accounts for about 30% of the total energy costs of operating a dairy; energy demand and farm dairy operating costs can be reduced using different options that involve heat recovery from your cooling system.
Raw milk grows bacteria rapidly above 7°C. Meeting the new milk cooling standards, which come into effect for all farms on June 1, 2018, may mean changes are required for systems onfarm.
The Ministry for Primary Industries’ Code of Practice for the Design and Operation of Farm Dairies has new milk cooling standards.
The rules apply immediately to converted farms, and will apply to all farms from June 1, 2018. The rules state that raw milk must:
a) be cooled to 10°C or below within four hours of the start of milking, and
b) be cooled to 6°C or below within the sooner of either six hours from the start of milking, or two hours from the completion of milking, and
c) be held at or below 6°C without freezing until collection or the next milking, and
d) must not exceed 10°C during subsequent milkings.
Fonterra is leading the push for farmers to ensure they meet the new milk cooling standards by June 1, 2018.
In its message to farmers, Fonterra says that farmers, to confirm the capability of milk cooling equipment, must have an auditable system that confirms milk cooling requirements are met.
“As a minimum, milk cooling performance must be monitored and recorded on at least three occasions per dairy season.” This should include:
i within the first two months of lactation, once the full herd has calved
ii about the time of peak milk production
iii February each year.
Where electronic data capture and recording systems are installed it is recommended that such systems should be capable of holding delivery line and bulk milk tank temperature data for the previous 30 days for milk and CIP (clean in place).
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.