Farm

Did you know?

Ireland’s pasture-based production system makes Irish dairy farming amongst the most efficient in the world, helping to maintain our environmental, social, and economic sustainability, while ensuring high levels of animal welfare
The world produces approximately 720 billion litres of milk per annum. Ireland accounts for only 0.75% of global milk production.
There are over 18,000 milk producers in Ireland producing 5.4 billion litres of cow’s milk per annum
Ireland's dairy farmers produce, on average 300,000 litres of milk each, from herds averaging around 50 cows. There are approximately 1.1 million cows in Ireland
Our milk is produced almost exclusively off grass, with cows grazing outdoors for around 227 days per year

This section provides information about the key economic indicators for milk production.

We show you how much it costs to produce milk, in Ireland and elsewhere, and what milk producers in other markets get for their milk. Our calculators help you to see what international commodity prices would mean in terms of your milk price.

Milk price conversions
Milk Production Costs (Ireland)
USA Milk Feed Price Ratio

Milk price conversions

NZ WMP Prices in c/l

NZ Auction Whole Milk Powder price

2847 $/t

Currency calculation $/€

€1 = $1.2943

Equivalent Irish price in c/l

21.80

Dutch butter & SMP in c per l

Dutch butter quotes

2640

Dutch SMP Quotes

1970

Equivalent Irish price in c/l

22.61

Milk Production Costs (Ireland)

	Top	Middle	Bottom
Concentrate Feeds	3.3	4.3	5.1
Pasture & Forage	3.3	3.9	5.3
Other Direct Costs	3.1	3.9	4.1
Energy & Fuel	1.9	2.4	3.0
Labour	0.3	0.3	0.4
Other Fixed Costs	6.0	7.9	11.5
Total Costs	18.0	22.7	29.5
Net Margin	12.9	8.3	1.6

Source: Teagasc - 2010

Urea Fertiliser cost per litre of Milk

Are you in the Dairy Efficiency Programme? Do you complete a Profit Monitor? It'll help you get a greater understanding of all your production costs. Have a look here at a simple calculation which shows how much fertiliser costs affect your milk production cost. In this example we just look at the cost of urea. Taking typical fertiliser N usage rates, and typical milk production levels per Ha, we calculate the approximate cost to you, per litre of milk of your N fertiliser.