August Milk Production Up 2.2%
Western states, Texas and Florida show biggest year-over year percentage gains.
Milk production in the 23 major states during August totaled 15.3 billion pounds, up 2.2% from August 2010, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported today.
The July revised production at 15.4 billion pounds, was up 0.5% from July 2010. The July revision represented a decrease of 45 million pounds or 0.3% from last month's preliminary production estimate.
The nation's dairy herd was pegged at 9.217 million head for August, an increase of 2,000 head from July and up from 9.123 in August 2010. Analyst Alan Levitt reported the August 2011 herd size was the largest in more than two years.
Production per cow in the 23 major states averaged 1,810 lb. for August, 18 lb. above August 2010.
Dave Kurzawski, dairy market analyst with FCStone, called the report bearish.
Once again, Western states showed some of the biggest percentage increases over year-earlier production levels. Comparing August 2010 to August 2010 levels, increases were seen in:
- Arizona – up 6.3% to 338 million pounds
- California - up 2.9% to 3.501 billion pounds
- Colorado - up 6.2% to 258 million pounds
- Idaho – up 3.9% to 1.187 billion pounds
- New Mexico – up 4.9% to 681 million pounds
- Washington – up 6.7% to 542 million pounds.
Texas showed an 11.1% gain over year-earlier levels, increasing production to 781 million pounds. Florida’s output rose 9.9% to 167 million pounds.
New Mexico recorded the highest milk-per-cow levels at 2,065 lb. for August. Washington was a close second with 2,045 lb.
