USDA reported this afternoon that milk production climbed 3.3% in September, following a 2.3% increase in August. Through the first three quarters of 2010, milk production is running 2.1 billion lb. ahead of the same period last year, a jump of 1.5%.
USDA also reports that total dairy cow numbers in the country totaled 9.116 million, 2,000 head fewer than August and only 4,000 head fewer than a year ago. (In August, cow numbers trailed year- earlier levels by 41,000 head.)
Western states led the surge in milk production in September: Arizona, +13.1%; California, +7.3%, Colorado, +7.7%; Idaho, +8%; Kansas, +6.8%, New Mexico, +1.7%; Oregon, +7.1%; Texas, 1.7%; Utah, 2.7%, Washington, +7.2%. Cow numbers is these states were up 50,000 head, and that’s counting California, which still trails year-earlier numbers by 22,000 cows.
The Midwest growth was modest at best, even negative: Wisconsin, +0.5%; Minnesota, -1.5%, Iowa, -2.3%, Michigan, +2.6%. Cow numbers in these four states is basically flat, due to Iowa’s loss of 10,000 cows since last September.
For the complete report, click here.
