Wisconsin Ag Connection - Wisconsin Milk Production Back on the Upswing

Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association

Wisconsin Ag News Headlines

Wisconsin Milk Production Back on the Upswing
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 08/21/2018

State milk production was up for the third month in a row during July after lower output in April ended a four-year streak of continuous monthly increases when measured on a year-to-year basis. According to the USDA's latest milk production report, Wisconsin dairy cows produced 2.61 billion pounds last month, up 1.2 percent from last July, and more than the 2.56 billion pounds made in June 2018 (which had less days on the calendar).

Nationally, 17.3 billion pounds of milk was produced in the 23 major dairy states for the month, which was a slight 0.4 percent greater than in 2017, and more than the previous month's 17.2 billion.

California continues to have the highest total production with about 3.28 billion pounds. Colorado had the largest increase in year-to-year output as that state produced 393 million pounds of milk in June, up 8.9 percent from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major states was 8.74 million head, 1,000 head more than July 2017, but 8,000 head less than June 2018. The average number of milk cows on Wisconsin farms for the month was 1.27 million head, unchanged from last month, but 4,000 head less than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,055 pounds, up 30 pounds from last year's figures.

Other Wisconsin Headlines