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Dairy production is a critical component of the agriculture industry focused on the sustainable production of milk and milk-derived products.

Key aspects include animal health and welfare, milk quality, and efficient processing techniques. Sustainable and ethical practices, alongside technological advancements, play a vital role in ensuring the quality, quantity, and environmental responsibility of dairy production. Please share tools, information and resources relevant to dairy production.

UK Dairy Industry Statistics September 2021:

  • The UK is the thirteenth-largest milk producer in the world.
  • Milk accounted for 16.4% of total agricultural output in the UK in 2020 and was worth £4.4bn in market prices.
  • The total number of UK dairy cows has fallen from 2.6 million in 1996 to 1.9 million in 2020, a 28% reduction.
  • The UK produced 15.3 billion litres of milk in 2020, the highest annual figure since 1990.
  • In 2019, the UK recorded a trade surplus in volume terms for dairy for the first time since records began (1997). This surplus continued in 2020 although it reduced in size.
  • In 2020, the UK had a negative trade balance in butter and cheese, but a positive trade balance in milk and cream.
  • Farm-gate milk prices for June 2021 were 30.4 pence per litre, up from a low of 21.5 ppl in August 2016.
  • Between 1995 and today, doorstep delivery has declined from 45% to 3% of the retail milk market, despite increases during the pandemic.
  • Supply chains were disrupted following the lockdown imposed to suppress the coronavirus outbreak in March 2020. Milk prices recovered later in the year.
  • Exports of dairy products to the EU decreased following the end of the EU Exit transition period.

Full Parliamentary briefing paper

Reducing the carbon footprint of milk

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Connected Content

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Grass in farming is interconnected with livestock systems for their feed, in the form of grazing, haylage and silage, and is also used as 'leys' (short-term grasslands) to regenerate soil structure and quality.

GrassCheckGB is a grass monitoring project involving 50 dairy, beef and sheep farms.   Growth and quality data is published weekly throughout the growing season

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  Lameness is a significant health issue affecting farmed animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. It refers to an abnormal gait or difficulty in walking, and it can have various causes, leading to pain and discomfort for the animals.

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Proper housing is essential for the well-being, health, and productivity of livestock, as well as for the efficient management of farm operations. The type of housing and its design can vary depending on the species of livestock, climate, and specific management goals.

Dairy farmers in the south west of England are exploring whether they can improve soil whilst maintaining forage quality when adopting longer resting periods after defoliation.

Mastitis is generally defined as the inflammation of the mammary gland. Mastitis can have severe consequences for animal health, milk production, and dairy product quality.

Whatever your challenges, from practical to strategic, Kingshay have the expertise to help you get the best from your farm.

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We are pleased to announce a final LEAP conference on 16 April 2024 at Lady Margaret Hall. Registration is now open.

Lameness is the third most impactful disease in dairy cattle, with respect to economics and animal welfare

The dairy sector is often in the firing line when it comes to the criticism cows receive for their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This is despite total emissions from UK dairy production falling by 16.1% between 1990 and 2020.

From identifying lesions to treatment and nutrition, our information and resources can help you to manage all aspects of lameness.

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New study suggests “techno-grazing” approaches can support more cattle in less space without adversely affecting soil structure and function

Prioritising the future of your herd and looking closely at your youngstock housing should be at the forefront of every farmer's mind.

Find out how a strategic approach to feeding and weaning can help get the most out of your dairy-beef genetics.

After yet another successful event in 2023, Dairy-Tech will return on Wednesday 7th February 2024 at Stoneleigh Park.

Learn about the benefits of livestock in the arable rotation. See our information on forage crops, cover crops, outdoor pigs, farmyard manure and more.

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The SEEGSLIP project sought to evidence the practices of a particular group of farmers, the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association (PFLA) in terms of their social, ecological and economic sustainability. This video explains the project, the pasture-fed concept and some of our research findings.

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Youngstock are the future of any farm. Investing in them is an investment in the farm’s future, too.

The aim of this guide is to aid decision making for livestock producers who are looking to outwinter stock and what systems may best suit their farm.

Driving feed efficiency is crucial in all beef growing and finishing systems. 

Carbon footprints are presented within the contemporary media, commercial entities and frequently by government agencies as a proximate measure for sustainability.

A flowchart on how to assess body condition score in dairy cattle, using the Penn State assessment method.

Stephanie Eldon and her family farm a unit with 199 dairy cows in Northern Ireland, producing 75 heifers calving into the herd per year. It is a Holstein closed herd calving all year round, with a 305-day average yield of 8,896 litres (L).

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Bale Grazing is a simple method of out wintering dry cows often used in North America.

Fertility is the key driver of profit in the dairy herd and is dependent on genetics, nutrition and health status.

This checklist aims to provide a structured approach to assess a calf rearing system.

Nutrient management can often be forgotten on beef and sheep farms, yet there is considerable scope to reduce costs and improve output through the use of home-produced and bought-in nutrients.

Our bull selection manual explains what to look for when selecting a bull for breeding, including how to use genetics and EBVs, and judging if a bull is fit to work.

This booklet provides an accurate, easy-to-use reference guide on all available anti-parasitic products in their various chemical groups and summarises the parasites they have been licensed to control.  

An online tool to help dairy, beef and sheep producers monitor and compare medicine use and tackle the threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Six Pasture for Life member farms have come together in an Innovative Farmers Field Lab to undertake a four year study to explore the impacts of bale grazing on soil and forage.

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This Poster from DairyNZ provides a useful guide for assessing lameness in cattle.

This recording from the Oxford Real Farming Conference is of a discussion between farmers involved in the Innovative Farmers Bale grazing project.

Join us (AHDB) virtually for a practical workshop, highlighting the shed ventilation solutions at Willow Tree Farm.

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A fact sheet on the potential use of grass press cake as a fodder source for dairy cows.

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Find out how building genetics into your breeding programme can maintain herd strengths and address areas of weakness.

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