Monthly dairy cull cow marketing is the highest since August 2023.

Year-over-year U.S. milk production was up 2.2% in the February USDA report. However, with February 2024 containing an extra day due to “leap year,” the adjusted number is closer to -1.1% on a daily basis.

The USDA’s World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report identifies milk and feed factors potentially impacting dairy producer income in the year ahead.

A smaller milking herd, tight replacement heifer supplies to keep barns full and slight improvements in milk income margins contributed to a slowdown in dairy culls marketed for beef to end 2023. That trend has continued to start 2024.

2023 annual milk production was down 98 million pounds compared to the 2022 total. However, annual total milk production has increased 9.9% from 2014.

The USDA’s World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report identifies milk and feed factors potentially impacting dairy producer income in the year ahead.