Increase in U.S. milk production
Milk production in the 23 major dairy states during September totaled 13.0 billion pounds (5.9 million tonnes), up 4.9% from September 2004, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) said last week. August revised output, at 13.6 billion lbs. (6.17 million tonnes), was up 4.8% from August 2004. The August revision represented an increase of 22 million lbs (9,979 tonnes) from last month’s preliminary production estimate. Production per cow in the 23 major states averaged 1,597 lbs. for September, 64 lbs above September 2004. The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 states was 8.16 million head, 54,000 head more than September 2004, and 1,000 head more than August 2005.
California milk production was up 3.4% to 3.08 billion lbs. (1.4 million tonnes) in September. The state’s dairy herd grew 28,000 from a year ago to 1.765 million head and production per cow increased to 1,745 lbs. Wisconsin’s September milk output was 5.4% above a year ago. The state’s 1.88 billion lbs. (0.85 million tonnes) was from 1.237 million cows, 2,000 less than September 2004. Production per cow more than made up the difference, 1,520 – 60 lbs. more than last September. Only four states saw a decline in output – Kentucky (-2.8%), Illinois (-1.9%), Iowa (-0.3%) and Missouri (-7.2%). The steepest rise in production was in Idaho, with output soaring 14%.
U.S. milk production during the July-September quarter totaled 44 billion lbs (19.96 million tonnes), up 4.2% from the July-September quarter last year, USDA said. For the quarter, Idaho production was up 13.8%, California up 2.5%, Wisconsin up 5.2%. Hurricane Katrina left her mark on Louisiana milk production, with output down 13.9% from the same period a year ago.
The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.05 million head, 27,000 more than the same period last year.
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