UK Forage Running Low As NFU Warn On Milk Prices

The NFU have warned milk buyers against paying dairy farmers 'too little too late' when it comes to the recent rate of modest milk price increases.

"Up to 4.3ppl in additional revenue is being made by milk processors on the back of strong commodity markets, so with increases of as little as 0.5 up to 1.5ppl announced since June, there should clearly be more to come," they said.

Meanwhile forage supplies are already running low, with many farmers suffering losses of 20-30% on first cut silage and up to 50% on the second cut, they added.

The recent hot and dry weather has also forced many farmers to house their cattle indoors, pushing up costs further with straw prices so expensive at the moment, they say.

Many farmers are already feeding what little forage they have, meaning that supplies this winter look like being particularly tight, they warned.