Compound feed

IFA inputs project team leader John Coughlan said compound feed prices are out of line with ingredient costs. He called on the industry to reduce ration prices immediately given the perilous state of the beef finishing sector. “The feed sector has a duty to maximise native cereals. It has been shown time after time that livestock rations that include a high level of quality native Irish cereals consistently outperform many compound feed rations based on least cost formulations.”

Milk price

IFA national dairy committee chair Tom Phelan said farmers felt let down that their co-ops’ Brexit preparation strategy seemed to rely on cutting and further talking down milk prices, using farmers’ hard work in terms of increased butterfat and protein content and extra volumes to ‘soften’ the blow. “I’m calling on co-ops to communicate how they will at least hold milk price levels to year-end. This is essential to protect the farmer confidence which is such an important ingredient in the sustainability of the Irish dairy success, and co-ops must not undermine that confidence.”