2012 Q1 milk output up 5.2%

 

U.S. milk production during the first quarter of 2012 totaled 51.0 billion lbs., up 5.2% from the same period last year, according to USDA’s preliminary March milk production report.

 

(Due to Leap Day, the first quarter of 2012 had one more day than 2011. On a daily basis, 2012 first-quarter milk production was up 4.1% compared to the same period a year earlier.)

 

The average number of milk cows in the United States during the January-March 2012 quarter was 9.254 million head, 86,000 head more than the same period last year. 

 

March 2012 milk production in the 23 major states totaled 16.45 billion lbs., up 4.3% from March 2011. Milk cow numbers in the 23 major states were estimated at 8.519 million head, 9,000 more than February 2012 and 94,000 more than March 2011. Production per cow averaged 1,931 lbs., 59 lbs. more than March 2011. 

 

Nationally, March 2012 milk production was estimated at 17.70 billion lbs. (+4.2% for the month); milk per cow: 1,910 lbs. (+59 lbs.); cow numbers: 9.266 million, (+12,000 from February 2012 and +86,000 from March 2011).

 

Compared to a year earlier, March cow numbers posted the largest gains in: California (+25,000); Texas (+13,000); Michigan and New Mexico (+11,000 each); Washington (+9,000); and Colorado and Arizona (+7,000 each). Only Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Vermont had fewer cows than the year before.