The October 2023 USDA Milk Production report showed a 0.5% decrease with 18.7 billion lbs. of milk, indicating little change from the previous year. Following suit, milk output per cow fell by 3 pounds in the 24 main states.
Milk cows on farms in the 24 main states were 8.91 million, 19,000 less than in October 2022 and 5,000 fewer than in September 2023. This is the ninth consecutive month of declining cow numbers, and the lowest herd since January 2022.
“While the headline figure was a little lower than we expected, the basic story hasn’t changed much,” Ever.Ag Insights president Phil Plourd says. “Fewer cows and some lingering weather impact continues to translate into mediocre milk production performance.”
Plourd believes it’s difficult to predict how things will change in November.
“While we continue to keep an eye on the very low slaughter activities. Could cow numbers stabilize in the coming months? “Will output in the Southwest find its footing as we move past bad weather and into easier comps?” he questions.
Club One Billion Pounds
The one billion pounds of milk club was made up of six states, with a mix of rises and declines.
- California produced 3.317 billion pounds, 88 million pounds less than the previous year (-2.6%) and with 10,000 fewer cows.
- Wisconsin: 2.692 billion, an increase of 23 million pounds (0.9%) with 1,000 fewer cows.
- Idaho: 1.384 billion, a 19 million pound (-1.4%) decrease with 2,000 additional cows.
- Texas: 1.381 billion, a decrease of 27 million (-1.9%) from the previous year, with 20,000 fewer cows.
- New York: 1.348 billion, up 28 million (2.1%) over last year, with 3,000 more cows.
- Michigan: 1.010 billion, a rise of 26 million pounds (2.6%), and 11,000 additional cows.
New Mexico, with 24,000 fewer cows, saw the second-largest output loss (52 million lbs., 9.0%). South Dakota, on the other hand, added 24 million pounds (6.6%) and 13,000 cows.
