Demand for butter has increased on the wholesale market and producers are being urged to consider pushing butterfat levels through alterations in winter rations to increase earnings.

Matthew Stearn, wholesale performance products product manager for Trident Feeds said: “Recent consumer trends of switching back to butter from margarine, coupled with the influence of more baking programmes on TV, has surged the demand for butter globally.”

“Processors have responded by increasing the prices that farmers receive on some contracts, should they both meet and exceed the target levels of 4% butterfat.”

To make the most of the bonus payments on offer, Bethany May, ruminant nutritionist at Trident Feeds, suggests including a C16:0 protected fat to further increase butterfat levels.

“Housing is the perfect opportunity to push milk constituent levels, as butterfat levels tend to rise due to the lack of reliance on grazing and the use of a fully controlled winter ration,” she said.

“Products such as Butterfat Extra can be incorporated easily into well balanced rations, and immediate improvements to milk fat percentages can be seen, with production responses of up to 0.3% increase in butterfat percentage.”

Miss May adds that due to the current favourable prices, the inclusion of the product can be financially rewarding.

“For example, most milk contracts now incorporate a reward structure for higher butterfat and protein percentages, with some rewarding greatly for hitting the higher percentage bands and producers achieving premium prices.

“With milk yields also increasing by one litre per day, its inclusion is improving both constituent quality alongside extra litres.”