UK Butterfat Production Down

 April to September 2016 UK butterfat levels averaged 4.02 per cent, compared with 3.95 per cent over the same period last year. The increase is not enough to offset the drop in milk volumes, and means overall butterfat production from UK farms was around 285k tonnes, 5 per cent down on last year.

In terms of utilisation over the same period, the quantity of butterfat ending up in liquid bottled milk has remained relatively stable. There has been a slight reduction in fat used in cheese and other products. However, fat used to make cream has seen the biggest drop, down 9k tonnes (14 per cent) compared with last year.

The quantity of fat ending up in butter manufacturing has actually increased by 2k tonnes (3 per cent), which is likely a reflection of the fact that spot butter prices were outperforming spot cream prices from April to September. This situation has since reversed, with cream now outperforming butter.

TheCattleSite News Desk