Wisconsin Ag Connection - State Milk Output Continues to Slip

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State Milk Output Continues to Slip
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 08/20/2019

Total milk production for Wisconsin fell for the third consecutive month in July when compared to year-to-year figures. According to the USDA's monthly milk production report, state output totaled 2.6 billion pounds during the month, down one percent from July 2018, but more than June's 2.57 billion pounds (which had less days on the calendar).

Nationally, 17.5 billion pounds of milk was produced in the 24 major dairy states for the month. That was a fractional 0.1 percent increase over 2018, but less than the previous month's 17.3 billion.

California continues to have the highest total production with about 3.37 billion pounds. Colorado had the greatest increase in output as that state produced 415 million pounds of milk in July, up 5.9 percent from the same period last year. However, 11 of the top 24 states had lower year-to-year production last month.

Meanwhile, the number of milk cows on farms in the 24 major states was 8.77 million head, 60,000 head less than July 2018, and 8,000 head less than July 2019. The average number of milk cows on Wisconsin farms for the month was 1.27 million head, which was unchanged from last month, but 6,000 less than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,055 pounds, which was 10 pounds less than last year's figures.

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