The December monthly milk league shows Lisavaird has held top spot despite a drive from LacPatrick.

LacPatrick (formerly Town of Monaghan) helped December cheques with an unconditional bonus to all suppliers. That’s the good news.

The bad news in the December league is the confirmation that Tipperary Co-op and Boherbue both dropped December milk price. Remember the monthly milk league excludes conditional bonuses such as the winter bonuses that LacPatrick and Lakeland offer.

Division one this month has Lisavaird at €3.63/kg milk solids followed by LacPatrick at €3.55/kg MS. Division two is busy with the rest of the west Cork co-ops, but also two big players, Lakeland and Dairygold.

North Tipperary-based Arrabawn and the small north Cork co-op Boherbue are also in division two, with all co-ops paying close to €3.45/kg MS.

There are plenty of big players in division three, with Tipperary, Kerry, Aurivo and Glanbia all propping up the bottom of the December monthly milk league.

Tipperary slipped out of division one all the way into division three for December as a result of its price cut. Kerry cut November price by 1c/litre but held for December.

Aurivo and Glanbia have been long-time players in Division three, paying in the region of just over €3.30/kg MS.