fbpx
Print this page
Monday, 03 November 2014 14:50

Milk peak passes without any hitches

Written by 

Fonterra has passed the peak milk production this season without any hitches at its plants.

The co-op was expecting 90 million litres of milk daily at the peak, which normally runs between mid-October and end of October; milk supply has flattened at 88m L/day.

In recent years the co-op has been forced to dump buttermilk as milk supply exceeded production capacity at its plants.

Fonterra managing director global operations Robert Spurway told Rural News it had come "very very close" to peak milk target.

"Based on current weather and volume, we have passed the peak, only just," he says.

Spurway says milk supply has become flat at top of the curve; the co-op has been collecting 55 million litres of milk in the North Island and 33m L in the South Island at the peak.

He says milk supply has been strong, thanks to very good grass growth.

"In my talk with farmers, they seem to be very happy with grass growth.

"We have seen milk supply right through the shoulders of the season and leading up to the peak 5% ahead of forecast."

More like this

Featured

GP Rural: New Pathway Proposed to Fix Rural GP Shortage

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.

CODC Sludge-to-Lauder Plan Slammed by Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.

Southland Farmers Face Wet Weather Toll, Support Available

Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.

National

Machinery & Products