What to do when milk price is tight?

Assumptions :

  • Dairy feed cost: €340/t = €0.34/kg

  • Decent silage and or grass quality and quantity.
  • A healthy herd.

  • € Figures show milk revenue minus feed cost

  • This is margin over feed, not total profit.


🥛 Milk Price Sensitivity – Margin Over Feed

€/cow/day

Dairy Nuts (kg/day) Extra Milk (L/day) Feed Cost €/day 40c/L 45c/L 50c/L
2 kg 1.5 – 2.0 €0.68 €-0.08 β†’ €0.12 €0.00 β†’ €0.22 €0.07 β†’ €0.32
3 kg 2.5 – 3.0 €1.02 €-0.02 β†’ €0.18 €0.10 β†’ €0.33 €0.23 β†’ €0.48
4 kg 3.5 – 4.0 €1.36 €0.04 β†’ €0.24 €0.22 β†’ €0.44 €0.39 β†’ €0.64
5 kg 4.2 – 5.0 €1.70 €-0.02 β†’ €0.30 €0.19 β†’ €0.55 €0.40 β†’ €0.80
6 kg 4.8 – 6.0 €2.04 €-0.12 β†’ €0.36 €0.12 β†’ €0.66 €0.36 β†’ €0.96
7 kg 5.2 – 6.5 €2.38 €-0.30 β†’ €0.22 €-0.04 β†’ €0.55 €0.22 β†’ €0.87
8 kg 5.5 – 7.0 €2.72 €-0.52 β†’ €0.08 €-0.25 β†’ €0.43 €0.03 β†’ €0.78

What this clearly shows

👉 Feed isn’t the enemy β€” inefficiency is.

  • 4–5 kg is the safest, most consistent zoneΒ across all milk prices

  • AtΒ 40c, overfeeding hurts β€” underfeeding also hurts

  • AtΒ 45c, good feed is clearly paying

  • AtΒ 50c,Β every efficient kg of nut is making money

  • Cutting from 4 kg to β€œsave €0.68” oftenΒ costs €1+ in milk

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