Having paid from unchanged base prices that were around 2p/l ahead of their rivals, it is no surprise that Aurivo and Dale Farm lead in the prices paid to 1m-litre suppliers for May milk.

Those prices are calculated at the three milk qualities shown in Table 1 on the opposite page.

For average quality milk, both butterfat and protein percentages are down in line, with the changes in actual milk solids recorded by processors in May. Butterfat drops from 4.26% to 4.19% and protein moves from 3.35% to 3.31%.

As a result, the actual prices paid are lower in all cases when compared to April.

Aurivo leads with a price of 43.91p/l, followed by Dale Farm, Leprino Foods and Tirlán, who all paid prices of at least 43p/l.

For high solids milk, the higher value put on each 0.01% incremental change in butterfat and protein by Dale Farm, takes the co-op ahead of Aurivo into first place.

Tirlán slips ahead of Leprino into third because its A+B-C payment model best rewards high solids milk. For low solids milk, Aurivo and Dale Farm again hold the top two positions, however, Leprino drops down to fifth as milk at 4.04% butterfat and 3.21% protein does not qualify for its 0.75p/l mozzarella bonus.

Rolling prices

Table B shows the rolling average 12-month prices paid to 1m-litre suppliers by each processor from June 2024 to May 2025.

Tirlán continues to lead in the prices paid for high and average solids milk, followed by Dale Farm and Aurivo.

However, there are some positional changes for low solids milk, with Dale Farm now in the lead and Lakeland overtaking Strathroy at the foot of the table.