April 22, 2008

US milk production up 3.2 percent in Q1
 

Total milk production in the US during the first quarter of this year totalled 47.6 billion pounds, up 3.2 percent from the same period last year, the US National Agricultural Statistics Service reported.

Milk production in 23 major states in the US reached 15.1 billion pounds in March, up 2.4 percent from the same period last year.

Revised production in February totaled 13.9 billion pounds, 6.2 percent more than output in February 2007.

The revision represented a growth of 23 million pounds or 0.2 percent from the previous month's preliminary production forecast.

Production per cow in the 23 major states averaged 1,795 pounds for March, 12 pounds above March 2007.

There are 8.44 million head of milk cows on farms in the 23 major states, 141,000 head more than March 2007, and 9,000 head more than February 2008.