There is a gap of less than 1p/l between the prices paid by first and fifth placed processors across each of the three milk qualities assessed in our 1m-litre leagues.

Those milk qualities are shown in Table 1 on the opposite page, with butterfat and protein levels increased across low, average and high solids milk, broadly in line with the actual increase seen by processors in August.

However, unlike our 750,000l league, both TBC and SCC are unchanged each month at 15 and 165 respectively. At those levels, there are various bonuses paid for milk hygiene by each company, as well as a 0.35p/l ‘super hygiene bonus’ by Aurivo.

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Each of the three milk qualities used in our August league also qualify for the 0.75p/l mozzarella bonus paid by Leprino Foods.

High solids

For high solids milk, just 0.09p separates Tirlán, Dale Farm and Lakeland Dairies across the first three places.

But for average and low solids milk, Aurivo is in the lead, mainly due to the various bonuses it pays related to hygiene quality. Leprino is fifth across all three milk qualities, with Strathroy at the foot of the table and the only processor to pay prices below 40p/l.

Rolling prices

Over the 12-month period from September 2024 to August 2025, Tirlán/Fivemiletown has paid the highest price for average quality milk produced by 1m-litre suppliers, with Dale Farm remaining second. All positions for average quality are unchanged from the previous month.

For high-quality milk, the only change sees Lakeland move up a place to joint third alongside Aurivo.