National Milk Records (NMRs) Annual Production Report shows that total milk yield dropped by 104kg across all breeds compared to the previous year, reflecting the first fall in production for five years.
NMR, a leading dairy information service provider, tests and records milk from more than 50% of the UK’s dairy cows.
The report, which documents the year ending September 2022 and was published on Monday (January 16), reveals that milk quality improved in the Holstein breed, which represents 68.2% of all NMR-recorded herds.
Holstein
Average milk fat was 4.08% and protein was 3.27%, up 0.02% and 0.01% respectively. The breed also reported a reduction in average somatic cell count (SCC) of 7,000 cells/ml.
The calving interval dropped to 399 days, which is the first time on record that it has dipped below 400 days.
The report showed that the average Holstein milk yield for 2021/2022 was 9,327kg, down from 9,472kg in the previous year.
Jersey
In the Jersey breed, which represents 1.9% of all NMR-recorded lactations, milk fat fell slighty to 5.36% from 5.38%, but protein increased by 0.01% to 3.92%.
Average SCC decreased by 9,000 cells/ml to 189,000 cells/ml.
A dip in milk yield and milk quality – both fat and protein – were recorded in the Aryshire, British Friesian, Shorthorn, Guernsey and Montbeliarde breeds. All represent more than 0.5% of NMR-recorded lactations.
Top-production herds
J H Shropshire returns to top place, from eighth in 2020/21, in the Holstein production ranking with a combined fat and protein yield from this Shropshire-based robotically- milked herd of 1,013kg and an average yield of 14,219kg per cow.
In second place is Derbyshire-based JE & EM Marshall with 1,007kg of fat and protein from 183 cows on three-times-a-day milking. Average yield was 13,517kg for the year ending September 2022.
In third place, slipping down from second in 2020/21, is PJ & PE Ashley from Shropshire with 996kg of fat and protein and 13,774kg of milk from 109 cows milked through robots.
Newcomers into the top 10 national Holstein herds ranked on production are: GJ Walton, from Denbigh and Flintshire, in seventh place; Will Read Partnership, from Somerset, in ninth place; and CJ & PH George from Cornwall.
