Hot weather overheating US dairy industry

Not only is the US dairy industry having serious problems with the current market conditions, it also has its own gripes about the hot weather.

The dairy industry has been hit hard by the hot weather. As temperatures climb, farmers will use a complex system of misters and fans to keep the cows cool and comfortable, which will inevitable increase costs. Rising feed costs over the past several months as well as state and federal regulations have also boosted production costs.

Dairy farmers said the cost to produce a gallon of milk has doubled in the past three years while the consumer price has barely moved up. 

Experts also said that dairy cows are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses because they are working hard to produce milk.

Yet at the same time, the dairy industry is suffering from excessive milk production, and demand was unable to keep up with the high production and incapable of reducing surplus particularly during the recession.

Betsy Karle, the dairy programme representative for the University of California, said producers are losing US$100 per month and on dairies that amount has to be multiplied by the number of cows.

Experts said the industry is considering imposing regulations on milk production to stabilise the supply.