News

Milk production steady in December

Milk production in the United States totaled 16.8 billion pounds in December, unchanged from December of 2012. That is the second consecutive month that production has been the same as a year ago. Production per cow increased 1 pound in December to 1,826 while the dairy herd slipped 12,000 head to 9.2 million.

Milk production in the 23 major dairy states totaled 15.7 billion pounds in December, up slightly from December of 2012. Production per cow in the 23 states averaged 1,846, down a pound from a year ago but the dairy herd in those states increased 6,000 head to 8.5 million.

California milk production totaled 3.47 billion pounds in December up 1.6 percent compared to a year ago. The Golden State dairy herd increased 1,000 head to 1.78 million and production per cow jumped 30 pounds to 1,950.

Wisconsin milk production declined 1.9 percent to 2.3 billion pounds in December. The Badger State dairy herd held steady at 1.27 million cows but production per cow fell 35 pounds to average 1,815.

For the October through December quarter, U.S. milk production totaled 49.3 billion pounds up 0.4 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2012. The average number of dairy cows for the quarter was 9.21 million head, up 3,000 from a year ago.

For the year, preliminary estimates put total milk production at 201.18 billion pounds up 0.4 percent from 2012. Milk production in the 23 major dairy states increased 0.5 percent for the year to 187.66 billion pounds. Production per cow averaged 21,806 for the year up 109 pounds from 2012 but the nation’s dairy herd declined 7,000 head to 9.226 million cows.

Read the full NASS report here