News

December milk production and herd size nearly steady

Milk production during December was up slightly on the year and the month.

USDA says production in the U.S. was up nearly one percent compared last year at nearly 18.3 billion pounds with production per cow up 86 pounds. 

The herd size was steady on the month but down 14,000 from last year.

Michigan continues to have the most productive cows in the nation. Arizona and Utah had the largest decrease in milk production during December while Colorado and Texas again had the largest increases. 

Milk production in the fourth quarter of 2019 was up 0.8 percent from last year during the same period with a herd size of 9.3 million cows.  The herd size increased 18,000 from the previous quarter but was down 22,000 head from the same quarter in 2018.

Total 2019 production was up 0.3 percent at 218 billion pounds with milk per cow increasing 246 pounds from 2018.