It was a year of mixed dairy numbers in 2024. Milk prices and income margins improved from 2023, but total milk production and average cow numbers were down from a year earlier.

Here’s the catch. IOFC only tells us the economics of what’s going into the tank, not what’s going into the cow for good health and reproduction, and impacting the farm’s true profitability. It measures how well we are converting feed dollars into milk dollars. IOFC values today’s milk but ignores tomorrow’s pregnancies.

In dairy-related news this first week of November 2025: The USDA plans to release key production data in November, IDFA submits comments on global dairy trade barriers, a carcass composting bill passes in California, and Chobani partners with U.S. Soccer.

A recently released North American Agribusiness Review by RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness analysts digs into consumer trends, dairy production and other animal proteins to evaluate how farm production is meeting consumer demands.

Open. It is a word no veterinarian enjoys saying during the herd check. While researchers continue to look for ways to improve the outcomes of live births, improving the trace mineral status of the cow may be a promising way to reduce hearing that dreaded word: open.