Wisconsin Ag Connection - State, National Milk Production Rose Slightly in April

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State, National Milk Production Rose Slightly in April
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 05/21/2019

Wisconsin dairy cows continued to produce more milk during the month of April than they did a year earlier. According to the USDA's monthly milk production report, state output totaled 2.54 billion pounds during the month, up a slight 0.4 percent from April 2018, but less than March's 2.61 billion pounds (which had more days on the calendar).

Nationally, 17.4 billion pounds of milk was produced in the 23 major dairy states for the month, which was also up fractionally from 2018, but less than the previous month's 17.8 billion.

California continues to have the highest total production with about 3.45 billion pounds. Texas had the greatest increase in year-to-year output as that state produced 1.17 billion pounds of milk in April, up 6.7 percent from the same period last year. However, 11 of the top 23 states had lower year-to-year production last month.

Meanwhile, the number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major states was 8.71 million head, 55,000 head less than April 2018, and 1,000 head below March 2019. The average number of milk cows on Wisconsin farms for the month was 1.27 million head, unchanged from last month, but down 4,000 head less than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,000 pounds, up 15 pounds from last year's figures.

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