November 25, 2004

Milk Production in Hawaii Fall 11%

With one of three Oahu dairy farms having closed over the summer, Hawaii milk production for the first 9 months of this year totaled 63.1 million pounds. The figure is 11 percent below the same period in 2003.

Hawaii dairy cows produced 5.6 million pounds of milk in September, compared with 7.0 million pounds for the same month last year and 6.4 million pounds for August of this year, according to the Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service on Wednesday.

September's cow inventory, both dry and in milk, numbered 5,900 head, down 700 from the same time last year but unchanged from the previous month. The average output per cow in September was 950 pounds, 110 pounds below the same month last year and 135 pounds lower than the previous month.