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U.S. milk production declined in September

The summer heat continued to show up in the bulk tanks in September. USDA reports total milk production in the United States in September was 15.7 billion pounds, down a half-percent from September of last year. This is the first time this year that production was below a year ago, the preliminary August report had production unchanged from a year ago but revised numbers showed a two-tenths of one percent increase.

The nation’s dairy herd decreased slightly in September to 9.195 million head while production per cow slipped 7 pounds to average 1,708. Cow numbers have been declining since April and production per cow has been going down since May.

Milk production in the 23 major dairy states totaled 14.7 billion pounds down a half-percent from a year ago. There were 8.47 million cows in those states, 5,000 more than September of last year but production per cow slipped 10 pounds to 1,732.

California milk production continues to decline, September output in the Golden State totaled 3.18 billion pounds down 3.9 percent from September of last year. There were actually 3,000 more dairy cows in the herd, 1.779 million head but production per cow dropped 75 pounds to average 1,790.

Wisconsin saw a 2.9 percent increase in milk production in September to 2.18 billion pounds. The Badger State dairy herd increased 7,000 to 1.27 million head and production per cow increased 40 pounds to 1,720.

Rounding-out the top five in milk production: Idaho 1.14 billion pounds up 2.3%: New York 1.06 billion pounds up 2.3%: Pennsylvania 831 million pounds down 2.7%.

Of the 23 major dairy states, nine saw a decrease in production compared to September of last year, three were unchanged and eleven increased. The biggest percentage increase was 5.2 percent in Colorado while the biggest percentage decrease was 5.4 percent in neighboring Arizona.

For the July through September quarter, milk production in the United States totaled 48.7 billion pounds up 0.1 percent from the same quarter last year. The dairy herd averaged 9.22 million head, 15,000 more than a year ago. Milk production in the April through June quarter of this year was up 2.1 percent while the first quarter was 5.3 percent higher.

For the third quarter, California milk production was 3.5 percent below the third quarter of 2011 while Wisconsin increased 3.9 percent.

Read the full NASS report here:

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