Milk output was somewhat higher than in September, but slightly lower than in October of the previous year. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, milk output in the 24 main producing states was 17.9 billion pounds, up one-tenth of a percent from the previous month but down four-tenths of a percent from the previous year.
In October, production per cow averaged 2,013 pounds, three pounds less than the previous month. The number of milk cows on farms was 8.91 million, down 5,000 from the previous month and 19-thousand from a year earlier.
With 9.37 million cows, total production in all states was 18.7 billion pounds of milk.
California produces the most milk in the United States, with 3.31 billion pounds, followed by Wisconsin (2.69 billion pounds) and Texas (1.4 billion pounds). Michigan still has the greatest average yield per cow, at 2,240 pounds.
