Belgium: Biofilms in the food industry

In Belgium research has led to new insights into biofilms. Biofilms are difficult to remove from stainless steel surfaces in the food industry. This can partly be explained by the bacterial species that live together and their interactions. This new insight is the result of research in a collaboration between the ILVO research institute, the university of Leuven and the Danish university of Copenhagen. The conditions (temperature, humidity, organic material) in a dairy factory but also around a milking installation on a dairy farm are optimal for the growth of certain bacteria and the formation of biofilms. Whether a biofilm survives an antibacterial treatment is largely determined by the specific bacteria that live there and the way in which they interact, the research shows. The presence or absence of certain bacterial species can make a biofilm more resistant or vulnerable to disinfection. Certain bacteria, such as Microbacterium lacticum, can accelerate the growth of other bacteria and the formation of the biofilm.

Holland: analysis on average livestock-lifespan on dairy farms

In Holland the accountancy Countus has made an analysis of the differences between the 25 percent dairy farms with the lowest and the 25 percent dairy farms with the highest average lifespan of the livestock. There is a difference of 11 months in the average age of the dairy cows between the two groups. Both groups of farms have about the same average milk production per cow. With the same number of kilograms of concentrate per cow and per 100 kilogram of standard milk. Farms with the highest lifespan spend almost 50 percent less money on minerals and 25 percent less on fertilizer and seed costs. They have about a 100 euro higher feed balance, which is the difference between feed costs and milk yields. The animal health costs per cow on these farms are three euro higher than on farms with a lower lifespan. The higher costs for straw and litter (+30%) may contribute to the prevention of health problems. The allocated costs are three percent lower in the group with the highest lifespan compared to the group with the lowest lifespan. With regard to labour input, the farms with the longest lifespan have 1.5 cows per person more than average dairy farms in Holland. The group with the lowest lifespan has 6 cows per person more than average. However: the higher lifespan farms have 20 percent less youngstock than the group with the lowest lifespan.

Holland: private dairy Ausnutria closes factory

In Holland the private dairy Ausnutria which is a daughter company of the China headquartered dairy Ausnutria will close its factory in Ommen whereby 79 jobs will be lost. In the city of Kampen Ausnutria is adapting the organization, which will result in the loss of 11 jobs and the creation of four new jobs. In addition, the work of 13 employees will be outsourced to an external party. Both proposed decisions are a result of changing market conditions and a recalibration of its business strategy, according to Ausnutria. After strikes the unions and Ausnutria have reached an agreement on a social plan.

Holland: projcet regarding relationship between milk production and feed balance

In Holland the dairy farmers project Home Made Protein shows that feeding cows more than 25 kilogram concentrates per 100 kilogram produced milk is less profitable. This because feeding more concentrates displaces the protein produced on the farm. The project also shows that the feed balance, which is the difference between feed costs and milk yields, does not standard increase with a higher milk production. When the feed balance is expressed per 100 kilograms of standard milk there is no relationship between milk production and the feed balance.

Holland: Value4Dairy Consortium boosts dairy productivity and sustainability in Nigeria

The Holland initiated Value4Dairy Consortium has received a 5 million USD grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The consortium which is led by the Dutch dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina will use this money to boost dairy productivity and sustainability in Nigeria. The four partners in the Value4Dairy Consortium are: FrieslandCampina WAMCO (a subsidiary of FrieslandCampina and Nigeria’s leading dairy company); Agrifirm (a Holland based global cooperative that operates in the animal nutrition and crop farming business). Barenbrug (a Holland based grass and forage seed company), and URUS (a USA headquartered global leader in artificial insemination, genetics, and herd management systems).

Holland: research on energy content of grass from pastures

In Holland practical research by weekly analyses of fresh grass from pastures during three years done by Wageningen University & Research shows that the energy content of grass in the spring can be accurately predicted up to the longest day. During the three years of research the development of the energy content in the grass was always the same. Further after the longest day the energy content between different years became more divers.

Holland: data regarding average somatic cell count of farm milk

In Holland in 2023 the average somatic cell count of farm milk was 203000 cells per millilitre. In the previous year 2022 this was 209000 cells. The bacteria count was 13700 bacteria per millilitre which was 14300 in the previous year. The average urea content was 20.2 gram per 100 millilitre milk. In the previous year this was 20.0 gram.

Holland: prevention of barn fires causes high costs for farmers

In Holland the government wants mandatory inspection of electrical installations and solar power installations on livestock farms to prevent barn fires. Smaller farms must let do this every five years, larger farms every three years. From 175 cows onwards a dairy farm is mentioned large. The costs of the inspections depend on the number of square meters of barn and the number of control cabinets and solar power installation present. They vary from 700 euro to 5400 euro per inspection. In addition to the electrical inspections, livestock farms must have an annual fire safety inspection carried out. The costs of this are 2000 euro per inspection. A re-inspection costs average of 2700 euros. Farmers organizations oppose against this high costs for farmers.

Northern Ireland: research on number of visits to robotic milkers

In Northern Ireland practical research shows that an extra concentrate feeding box in a barn with robotic milkers does not decrease the number of visits of cows to the robots. Cows that received more concentrates in the milking robot visited the separate concentrate box less often. The cows that got more concentrates in the milking robot also left more of this than the cows that got more concentrates in the concentrate box.

United Kingdom: UK stopped negotiations with Canada about a free trade agreement

The United Kingdom has stopped negotiations with Canada about a free trade agreement. Significant agricultural exports to Canada in 2022 included about 22 million euro of cheese and 11 million euro of beef. Since January 1, 2024 the United Kingdom is no longer allowed to use the EU Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for cheese but in practice an import tariff of 200 percent applies. In exchange for a lower rate Canada wants among other things access to the British beef market. In Canada, beef cattle are commonly treated with hormones. However, the United Kingdom does not allow production or import of hormone-treated beef.

United Kingdom: data regarding Holstein Frisian herds

In the United Kingdom a report of the NMR based on data from 500 NMR-recorded Holstein Friesian herds for the year ending August 2023 shows annual trends in herd health from 2010 to 2023. In this period 70 percent of herds had a somatic cell count (scc) below 200000 cells per millilitre in the year ending August 2023. This was an improvement from 44 percent in 2010. In 2023 of all cows in the 500 herd sample 52 percent completed their lactations without recording a single high scc above 200000. The equivalent figure in 2010 was 35 percent of the cows. Mastitis incidence across a 242 sample of the 500 recorded herds averaged 22 cases per 100 cows per year, a reduction of 14 cases per 100 cows per year since 2016. In half the herds (with mastitis records) 85 percent of cows recorded no mastitis in completed lactations. This was an increase from 79 percent in the same period. Fertility improved also. Since 2010 the mean age at first calving decreased by 89 days to 804 days. Since 2022 it has increased by five days. Milk yields remained stable for the past five years, averaging 8737 kilogram in 2023. This was up from 8708 kilogram in 2022 and by more than 1000 kilogram on 2010 data. Lifetime milk per cow per day increased by 25 percent from 10.5 kilogram in 2010 to 12.7 kilogram in 2023. Milk fat content has increased from 3.35 percent in 2010 to 4.26 percent in 2023 and is up from 4.18 percent in 2022. Protein content has risen from 3.33 percent to 3.36 percent since 2022, up from 3.27 percent in 2010.

United Kingdom: Arla might sell its speciality cheese plant in Melton Mowbray

In the United Kingdom the largest dairy cooperative Arla is considering selling its speciality cheese plant in Melton Mowbray. This because over the last few years the speciality cheese market in the UK has continued to decline. The plant employs about 60 people. Until there has been taken a decision the plant will continue to be operational and there will be no impact to production, customers, or employees, according to Arla. In the UK Arla has about 2000 member farms.

Sweden: Arla offers plant-based alternatives

In Sweden the dairy cooperative Arla has this month (February) introduced consumer products without cow milk as an ingredient but based on Swedish oats. The products are enriched with fibre, vitamin D and folic acid (B9). According to Arla milk remains the core of Arla’s activities but consumers who do not want to consume milk or milk products Arla wants to be able to serve with plant-based alternatives.