NI dairy sector – a 2030 perspective

According to Agri-Food and Biosciences’ Institute (AFBI) research scientist Dr Conrad Ferris, the next 10 years should see dairy farmers in Northern Ireland increasingly rewarded for meeting societal needs.

He made this comment while speaking at a webinar hosted by AFBI earlier this week.

The event was held to project ideas on how the local milk industry will evolve over the next decade.

Ferris continued:“Over the past two decades our environmental research has focused on three core issues that have risen to prominence on a sequential basis. These are: improving water quality, addressing the threat of climate change and, more recently, the mitigation of ammonia emissions.

“Looking to the future, all three issues will remain in play. However, we already know that improving farm efficiency levels will be at the heart of the dairy industry’s response to these challenges. And this will be a win:win scenario for milk producers. More efficient farms will always be more profitable businesses.”

Ferris admitted that milk matters will remain volatile over the next decade.

He added:“But farmers can do a lot within their own businesses to improve milk quality.”

“Our dairy processing sector is driven by milk components. So anything that producers can do to improve fat and protein levels is a good news story at farm level.

“Milk fat and proteins have flat lined here in Northern Ireland for the past number of years. This is in total contrast to the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland, where milk constituent levels have risen considerably during the same period.”

Significantly, Ferris does not believe that local dairy farmers will have to convert to spring milk-based systems and cross breeding to secure a boost in constituents.

He explained: “Essentially, this is a breeding challenge. There are enough Holstein bulls now available that are inherently high in both fat and protein. Their use here in Northern Ireland would allow dairy farmers to secure both the milk volumes they need while, at the same time, getting the added boost in constituents.

“The changes in milk quality which the dairy industry is now looking for could be achieved within a time span of two cow generations.”

Ferris went on to point out that processors could aid this process by committing to a constituent-based payment system.

One of the great threats recognised by Ferris regarding the dairy industry’s future sustainability is the sector’s ongoing reliance on imported raw materials. This is particularly the case, where concentrate feeds are concerned. He said:“Extended supply chains expose the dairy sector to higher levels of risk. Soya is a case in point.”

Ferris went on to confirm that AFBI trials have shown that it is possible to substitute imported soya and rapeseed meal with home-grown field beans in dairy rations, adding: “Beans have the added advantage of containing high starch levels.”

Where silage quality in Northern Ireland is concerned, the AFBI scientist pointed to a good news: bad news scenario unfolding over recent years.

“Dry matters have risen considerably, however, ME values have not,” he said: “Improving silage quality will require a multi factorial approach. Farmers must have better information made available to them when it comes to assessing grass quality. But, up to now, milk producers have normally been balancing the issues of forage quality and quantity, in order to keep costs at manageable levels.

“One way around this issue would be for contractors to agree a grass yield-based charging system.”

Ferris repeatedly focussed on the role which new technologies will play in shaping the future of the dairy sector. One, which he placed particular emphasis on, is Milk Infra-Red (MIR) Spectroscopy.

He concluded: “AFBI is already using the technique to address a range of issues, including feed efficiency, methane emissions, nitrogen utilisation and a range of health-related traits. The greater use of MIR by milk recording companies is obvious.”