Milk Production in WI Rises

Milk production in Wisconsin during December 2016 totaled 2.52 billion pounds, up two percent from the previous December, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during December, at 1.28 million head, was 1,000 more than last month but 1,000 fewer than a year ago. Monthly production per cow averaged 1,970 pounds, up 35 pounds from last December.

Milk production in the 23 major dairy states during December totaled 16.8 billion pounds, up 2.4 percent from December 2015. November revised production at 16.1 billion pounds, was up 2.8 percent from November 2015. The November revision represented an increase of 27 million pounds or 0.2 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major states averaged 1,931 pounds for December, 35 pounds above December 2015. This is the highest production per cow for the month of December since the 23 state series began in 2003.

The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major states was 8.69 million head, 53,000 head more than December 2015, and 10,000 head more than November 2016.

Milk production in the United States during the October-December quarter totaled 52.5 billion pounds, up 2.4 percent from the October-December quarter last year.

The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.35 million head, 10,000 head more than the July-September quarter, and 26,000 head more than the same period last year.