Milk peak down almost 2pc due to cold weather

An unusually cold spring caused milk production on Fonterra's peak day of the year to fall just under 2 per cent short of the 2008 figure.

Tim Deane, Fonterra's general manager of milk supply, said "the flush" arrived nationally on November 3 when Fonterra collected 72.3 million litres. That was 1.4 million litres less than last year's peak day, October 22.

The Waikato peak was 19.9 million litres on October 3. It was 0.7 million litres down on the 20.6 million litres collected on October 2 in the previous season.

Milk flow peaked at the Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company, near Morrinsville, at 690,838 litres on September 23.

The flush typically occurs five days either side of November 1.

The cold weather during September and October slowed grass growth, reducing the amount cows ate and converted to milk.

"Because we collect from Kaitaia to the Bluff, milk production peaks in different regions at different times," Mr Deane said.

"We get a peak in Northland, because they start calving earlier, and it gradually moves down the country."

Mr Deane said despite the lower peak levels Fonterra expected to produce the same amount of milk this season.

"When we had a look at the flush it was lower in the North Island because of that cold snap that came through, but we collected 11.5 million litres in Southland in one day."

- © Fairfax NZ News