LacPatrick has a January early calving bonus on all milk supplied which pushes them to the top of the January monthly milk league.

Both Aurivo and Lakeland dropped 1c/litre from December, which ensures they drop back into the third division.

There were a raft of changes on how the price is paid in Tipperary Co-op, North Cork, Glanbia and Arrabawn, but base price remains more or less unchanged.

Milk League Toon 10032018

Remember in December both Glanbia and Centenary Thurles paid an unconditional top-up on milk supplied so now that is removed both drop down the league. The Glanbia base price excludes fixed milk price payments.

IFA national dairy chair Tom Phelan said on Wednesday that co-op boards would meet in coming days to decide on February milk prices and he urged them to first hold the February milk price, and then develop a strategy which will keep a “three” in front of the base milk price for all of 2018.

He said: “As farmers count the cost of the snowstorm and a very long, challenging winter, it must be remembered that long-term expansion cannot be expected to be its own reward. Co-ops must optimise market returns and prices.”

The increase in Dutch quotes for butter and whole milk powder (WMP) in the last few weeks have been matched by other European quotes and indicators and should be justification for processors to keep milk prices at current levels.

On Wednesday, the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) dropped slightly (down 0.6% – see pages 3 and 84).

I’d suggest one of the main reasons it almost held is the fact that many New Zealand farmers in the North Island are short on feed. With this year’s harvest only coming in now, the effects of the December drought are still biting.