Strathroy Dairies is top of the NI milk league for the second month in succession, with an alternate day milk price of 26.37p/l for May supplies.

While the Omagh-based processor did cut its base price by 0.5p to 25.5p/l, the absence of collection charges, as well as a bonus payment of 0.2p/l for Red Tractor milk, were key to the company remaining on top of the league.

Moving up two places to second was Lakeland Dairies with an alternate day milk price of 26.3p/l.

Northern Ireland’s largest milk processor held its base on 25.25p/l, and while this initially meant it was 0.25p/l adrift of Strathroy, higher bonus payments on milk hygiene, solids and volume narrowed the gap to just 0.07p/l between first and second positions.

Milk quality

The milk league is based on a farmer producing 650,000 litres annually with a supply profile that reflects the average dairy farm.

Milk quality is set at 3.91% butterfat, 3.23% protein, 4.69% lactose with 19 TBC and 191 SCC. These figures are based on official DAERA statistics for the same month in 2018.

May is a peak month for production, but higher volumes mean lower milk solids. As a result, bonus payments for higher milk quality have less of an impact on final league positions compared to previous months of the year.

Mid-table

Aurivo finished in third position on 26.26p/l, followed by Glanbia Milk/Fivemiletown in joint fourth. Both Aurivo and Glanbia Milk paid from a base of 25.5p/l.

Dale Farm slipped from second to sixth place on 25.84p/l after a 0.5p/l cut left its base on 25.3p/l, which includes the 0.3p/l loyalty bonus.

Glanbia Cheese finished at the bottom of the table on 25.61p/l.

The Magheralin processor also cut its base by 0.5p/l to 24.75p/l, the lowest base price for NI milk in almost 30 months.

At the outlined milk qualities, the 0.4p/l mozzarella bonus (for butterfat above 4%, protein above 3.2%, TBC under 25 and SCC below 200) is not included in the Glanbia Cheese price for the May league table.

Rolling average

Moving to the 12-month rolling average league for a 650,000 litre producer, Dale Farm remains at the top on 28.37p/l for milk collected on alternate days.

However, Lakeland has narrowed the gap to Dale Farm to just 0.15p/l.

Strathroy has moved off the bottom of the table, and up to third, having consistently finished in the top half of the 650,000 league table for a number of months.

For daily milk collection, Glanbia Cheese continues to pay the highest rolling 12-month price of 28.03p/l.

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