Tirlán February milk price 41.08 cpl

Tirlán will pay a total of 41.08 cent per litre (cpl) (including VAT) for February creamery milk supplies at 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein.

The February milk price consists of the following:

• Base milk price of 35.58 cpl (including VAT), unchanged from January;
• A Seasonality Payment of 5.0 cpl (including VAT) which applies to all creamery milk volumes supplied during February that meet quality criteria. This payment also applies to non-contracted volumes from our Autumn calving and Liquid Milk scheme members;
• Sustainability Action Payment of 0.5 cpl (including VAT) to all qualifying suppliers.

The base price, Seasonality Payment and Sustainability Action Payment will be adjusted to reflect the actual constituents of milk delivered by suppliers.

The actual average price paid by Tirlán for February creamery milk, based on delivered constituents, will be 47.99 cpl (including VAT).

On 20 January, the Tirlán Board confirmed its intention to hold the milk price for January and February supplies, subject to any unforeseen events.

Tirlán Chairperson John Murphy commented: “We are pleased to be in a position to confirm our February milk price as announced two months ago. Farmers welcomed the certainty and support provided by a price commitment across the three-month period of December to February inclusive. In recent weeks there has been some welcome improvement in market prices. The Board will continue to monitor market developments on a monthly basis.”

The Board of Tirlán has agreed that the same rates of seasonality bonus payments will apply in December 2026 (5 cpl), January 2027 (7 cpl) and February of 2027 (5 cpl).

Tirlán Co-op urges milk suppliers to consider Bluetongue vaccination

Tirlán Co-op is encouraging milk suppliers to consult with their Vet and explore the merit of vaccinating against bluetongue, BTV-3. Two doses are required, three weeks apart, to reduce the level of impact BTV-3 can have in herds. With multiple strains now circulating in Europe, Tirlán is asking milk suppliers to consider targeting their breeding stock in the first instance to avoid poor pregnancy rates, late abortions, difficult calvings, calf mortality and milk drop.

Speaking in the wake of a Tirlán Council meeting to discuss the evolving situation, John Murphy, Tirlán Chairperson, said: “While bluetongue does not infect humans and does not pose a food safety risk from either meat or dairy, farm family suppliers should engage with their Vet now and discuss the merit of vaccination. Vaccination is permitted under special license and while it doesn’t fully stop infection or disease, it greatly reduces virus load as well as sickness for infected animals.

“We encourage our suppliers to take action now to protect the herd during the highest risk period, which coincides with a high level of susceptibility and potential impact in Spring calving herds.”

Joris Somers, Head of Animal Health and Welfare at Tirlán, said: “Where merited, the first dose should be administered in the middle of March, the second around April 7. Vaccination is only available through your vet carrying a special DAFM license. Protection is in place three weeks after the second dose.”

Tirlán held a webinar for suppliers on the evolving bluetongue scenario. It can be watched back here:

https://www.tirlanfarmlife.com/news/bluetongue-update-webinar-guidance-for-dairy-farmers

Change to VAT rate

This month’s milk payment is based on the reduced VAT Flat Rate Addition which applies for payments made after 1 January 2026. In Budget 2026 (announced on 7th October 2025), the government reduced the VAT Flat Rate addition for non-VAT registered farmers from 5.1% to 4.5%. Based on Tirlán’s VAT-inclusive milk price of 36.08cpl, the base milk price for January and February milk should be reduced by 0.21cpl to adjust for the reduction in the VAT rebate from the Government. The Board has decided to absorb this cost in the short term, but confirmed that it will be reflected in milk pricing from March milk onwards.

Tirlán Co-op Support package

In December, Tirlán Co-op announced a targeted €5.5 million Dairy Support Package aimed at supporting milk suppliers through the early stages of the 2026 lactation. In order to recognise and reward those who trade with their Co-op, rebates are available to Tirlán Milk Suppliers who spent at least 5 cpl with their Co-op in 2025, or who do so in 2026.

From 4 January to 2 May 2026, qualifying Tirlán milk suppliers can avail of the following Supports:

• A €40 per tonne rebate on GAIN Dairy Feed purchases;
• A €60 per tonne rebate on Calf Milk Replacer purchases;
• A €10 per tonne rebate of Irish rolled cereal purchases;
• A €3 per tonne rebate on Straights.

The rebates will be paid into qualifying farmers’ trading accounts in the second quarter of 2026. A second payment run will be made before year end for those who qualify based on their 2026 trade.

As part of the Support package, anti-parasitic prescriptions from Tirlán Co-op will be provided free of charge for all of 2026, delivering further cost savings for milk suppliers.

First Published: 18 March 2026