Milk supply in Ireland to the end of September was 6.94% over our national milk quota, according to the Department of Agriculture. Strong supply in September has increased the scale of the national over supply - at the end of August, Ireland was 6.44% over quota. The final milk quota year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

Estimated butterfat adjusted deliveries in September were 564,130,054 litres, 6.4% ahead of the same month last year.

More cows

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More cows, favourable weather and a good milk price are the main drivers of the higher production for the first half of the milk quota year. Data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation show that over 1.1m dairy cows have calved in the calendar year to date, a 3.6% increase on last year.

As farm gate prices weaken, large numbers of spring calving herds are expected to dry off cows in October in order to curb supply. Once a day milking has already commenced on many farms. This reduces total milk volumes.

A recent Irish Farmers Journal survey found that all the major processors were significantly over quota at the end of September – Arrabawn +10%; Dairygold +9.37%; Lakeland +8.5%; Glanbia +7.4%; Town of Monaghan +6%; Kerry +3.5% and Aurivo +3%. All four west Cork co-ops are at least 8% over quota.

Overall milk deliveries for the 2013/2014 milk quota year were 0.65% above quota, leading to a €10.5m fine. Farmers incur a fine of 28.66 cent per litre for over quota milk.

A full round up of September milk supply can be found here