Wisconsin Ag Connection - State Milk Production Up in November, Despite Drop in October

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State Milk Production Up in November, Despite Drop in October
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 12/20/2018

After falling for just the third time in the past four years back in October, Wisconsin milk production did increase slightly during the month of November when compared to a year earlier. According to the USDA's monthly milk production report, state output totaled 2.44 billion pounds last month. That's up a slightly 0.1 percent from November 2017, but less than October's 2.54 billion pounds (which had more days on the calendar).

Nationally, 16.4 billion pounds of milk was produced in the 23 major dairy states for the month, which was 0.8 percent more than in 2017, but less than the previous month's 16.9 billion.

California continues to have the highest total production with about 3.27 billion pounds. Colorado had the greatest increase in year-to-year output as that state produced 375 million pounds of milk in November, up 7.1 percent from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major states was 8.72 million head, 16,000 head less than November 2017, and 8,000 head less than October 2018. The average number of milk cows on Wisconsin farms for the month was 1.27 million head, down 1,000 from last month and 5,000 head less than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 1,920 pounds, which is about 10 pounds more than last year's figures.

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