Holstein springer values changed little across the country in the past month, but dairy cow numbers, milk production and dairy product stocks continue to grow. Zach Myers, Risk Education Manager for the Pennsylvania-based Center for Dairy Excellence, said 2020 ended with a national dairy herd totaling 9.443 million dairy cows, the largest herd size in at least 10 years. December milk production was up 3% compared to the year before, and grew at a year-over-year pace of more than 2% for the fourth month in a row. Production per cow also was up more than 2 pounds per cow compared to the previous year. All of this production has kept dairy product inventories growing as well. But Myers believes strong export demand, coupled with consumption by the latest wave of the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, is propping up the dairy price outlook for the next 12 months. Whether herds will continue to also add animals remains to be seen. If they do, heifers remain available at bargain prices.
| Springing Heifers | Heifer Calves | |
Location (sale date) | Supreme/Top | Approved/Medium | 90-120 pounds |
Turlock, Calif. (1-15-21) | $1,200-1,350 | $1,000-1,175 | - |
Reedsville, Wis. (1-21-21) | $700-1,200 | $500-650 | $20-40 |
Jerome, Idaho (1-20-21) | $1,170-1,300 | $1,027-1,170 | No test |
New Holland, Pa. (1-20-21) | $1,050-1,225 | $800-1,025 | $20-60 |
