December 21, 2004

US State Milk Output Fell in November

US Wisconsin milk production totals for November fell slightly state-wide, while the rest of the nation as a whole saw a boost in total output compared to the same month in 2003.

The USDA announced that production for the 20 major dairy states rose 1.2 percent from last year at 11.8 billion pounds. However, that was lower than October's output of 12.3 billion pounds.

Wisconsin dairy farmers produced 1.75 billion pounds of milk--0.6 percent less than last year, and well below last month's 1.82 billion pounds.

California continues to have the highest total production with about 2.96 billion pounds. Arizona recorded the highest percent increase for the month as that state produced 296 million pounds, about 7.6 percent more than the same month in 2003.

The number of cows on farms in the 20 major states was 7.77 million head, about 44,000 head more than November 2003, but unchanged from October 2004. Wisconsin was milking about 1.23 million head of dairy cattle during the month, with annual total production averaging 1,415 pounds per cow--which is about five pounds more than last year's average. The national per-cow average was nine pounds higher at 1,526 pounds per animal.