News

April milk production up 2% on year

The USDA says milk production in the top 23 states during April was 17.153 billion pounds, up 2% on the year. The average production per cow was a new monthly record and up 20 pounds from last year at 1,967 pounds per cow, while the milk cow herd jumped 81,000 head from a year ago, to 8.719 million head.

The USDA expects production and the per cow yield to decline in the second half of the year, but for now, the supply is only getting bigger, burdening processors with a lot of extra milk and pressuring prices.

California was the top production state at 3.440 billion pounds, followed by Wisconsin at 2.528 billion, and Michigan claimed the highest per cow yield at 2,215 per animal.

For 2017 to date, U.S. milk production is 2% ahead of 2016’s pace.

Monthly totals for Brownfield states in the top 23 production states:

Illinois: 166 million pounds, down 0.6% from 2016; average yield of 1,790 pounds, up 10 from a year ago; herd of 93,000 head, 1,000 lower than last year

Indiana: 364 million pounds, up 3.1% from 2016; average yield of 1,955 pounds, up 35 from a year ago; herd of 186,000 head, up 2,000 from last year

Iowa: 432 million pounds, up 2.4% from 2016; average yield of 1,990 pounds, unchanged from a year ago; herd of 217,000 head, up 5,000 from last year

Michigan: 941 million pounds, up 4.2% from 2016; average yield of 2,215 pounds, up 50 from a year ago; herd of 425,000 head, up 8,000 from last year

Minnesota: 826 million pounds, up 2% from 2016; average yield of 1,800 head, up 40 from a year ago; herd of 459,000 head, down 1,000 from last year

Ohio: 474 million pounds, up 0.6% from 2016; average yield of 1,810 pounds, up 40 from a year ago; herd of 262,000 head, down 4,000 from last year

South Dakota: 218 million pounds, up 3.8% from 2016; average yield of 1,860 pounds, up 20 from a year ago; herd of 117,000 head, up 3,000 from last year

Wisconsin: 2.528 billion pounds, up 0.6% from 2016; average yield of 1,975 pounds, up 10 from a year ago; herd of 1.280 million head, up 1,000 head