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In March members were offered the option of moving to the Profile Adjustment Scheme and achieving a more level cash flow through the year. Approximately 1/3 of members took this option. Members who remained on dual pricing are now looking forward to record marginal prices that will result from the recent price rise with more expected over coming months.

Even with concentrate prices at around £210-220/t, extra marginal litres produced this autumn are still worth feeding for, with the remaining margin after extra feed costs of 15ppl.

Timing is right to consider reviewing all cow housing issues before the cows come in. Cubicles to repair, feed passages and barriers to put in order, even some concrete to re-groove? Time spent now on cow comfort issues will help you cows to reward you with as many marginal litres as possible. Have you got enough water troughs? Do you need to book up the foot trimmer? Remove as many issues as possible that may depress your cows’ optimum yield during this critical time and look forward to some of the best milk prices in the country this autumn.

Those who are on the Profile Adjustment Scheme can also benefit from extra autumn milk production via an end of year top-up payment if their profile improves throughout 2008/9.