Market Watch

April sees another rise in milk production, cow numbers, output per cow

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 22 May 2025 15:37:39 -0400

Eighteen states including Texas, Idaho and Kansas boosted milk production a combined 387 million pounds in April.

Milk production, cow numbers, output per cow all higher in March

audrey@agproud.com — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Fifteen states including Texas, Idaho and South Dakota boosted milk production a combined 303 million pounds in March.

Milk production lower, cow numbers higher in February

audrey@agproud.com — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:23:12 -0400

Nineteen states including California, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Washington reduced milk production a combined 554 million pounds in February.

Milk production higher to start 2025

audrey@agproud.com — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Fourteen states including Texas, Idaho, New York and South Dakota boosted milk production a combined 306 million pounds in January.

Replacement cow prices reach new high in 2025

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 07:25:20 -0500

Quarterly average prices in January hit a new all-time high of $2,660 per head according to estimates from the USDA.

Milk production stayed on downward slope to end 2024

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 14:37:33 -0500

Ten states including California, Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon reduced milk production a combined 317 million pounds in December.

Milk production down 1% from USDA estimates a year ago

audrey@agproud.com — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:06:51 -0500

Ten states including California, New Mexico and Idaho reduced milk production a combined 370 million pounds in November.

Milk production slightly higher than year ago for third consecutive month

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:29:06 -0500

Thirteen states including Texas, Idaho and South Dakota boosted milk production a combined 258 million pounds in October.

Replacement cow prices climbed to a record-breaking high in October

audrey@agproud.com — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 10:47:15 -0500

Quarterly average prices in October hit a new all-time high of $2,600 per head according to estimates from the USDA.

Milk production decreases slightly in August USDA estimate

audrey@agproud.com — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:26:07 -0400

Seventeen states including Wisconsin, New Mexico, Minnesota and Arizona reduced production a combined 233 million pounds.

Cow numbers, milk production continue to decline in July USDA estimate

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 15:20:56 -0400

Seventeen states including New Mexico, Minnesota, Arizona and Idaho reduced production a combined 176 million pounds.

Replacement cow prices reach all-time high

audrey@agproud.com — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 10:56:11 -0400

Prices for U.S. replacement dairy cows reached an all-time high in July, according to latest quarterly estimates from the USDA. Meanwhile, average cull cow prices increased in June, setting a new record high for a second consecutive month.

Milk production continues to decline in USDA June estimates

audrey@agproud.com — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 14:52:16 -0400

With a leap day adjustment in February 2024, monthly U.S. milk production has now been lower than the same month a year earlier for 12 consecutive months.

Milk production decreases in USDA May estimates

audrey@agproud.com — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 11:19:47 -0400

Led by New Mexico, California, Georgia, Arizona and Kansas, 16 states reduced May 2024 milk production a combined 237 million pounds compared to the same month a year ago.

April milk production lower as cow numbers decline

audrey@agproud.com — Wed, 22 May 2024 14:16:13 -0400

The USDA revised the March 2024 milk production estimate slightly higher. With the revisions, both U.S. and major state U.S. production were up about 0.4% from USDA’s preliminary estimates a month earlier.

Replacement cow prices match 10-year peak

audrey@agproud.com — Wed, 01 May 2024 12:37:50 -0400

Quarterly average prices in April reached the same peak of $2,120 per head as seen in October 2014.

March report on dairy cows marketed for beef

audrey@agproud.com — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:17:37 -0400

Monthly dairy cull cow market trends downward in early 2024.

Milk production declines in March USDA estimates

audrey@agproud.com — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 16:32:17 -0400

The USDA revised the February 2024 milk production estimate slightly lower. With the revisions, both U.S. and major state U.S. production were down about 0.1% from USDA’s preliminary estimates a month earlier.

Leap day factors into milk production jump

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:50:59 -0400

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.

2023 annual milk production down from 2022

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Milk production stayed on downward slope to end 2023

audrey@agproud.com — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:57:58 -0500

Monthly U.S. milk production was lower than the year earlier in December 2023, extending the decline to six consecutive months.

Cow numbers, milk production continue to decline in November USDA estimates

audrey@agproud.com — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:49:39 -0500

The preliminary estimate of overall November U.S. milk production compared to a year earlier was down by 104 million pounds (0.6%).

Milk production decreases in USDA October estimates

audrey@agproud.com — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Ten states including California, New Mexico, Texas, Idaho and Colorado reduced milk production by a combined 224 million pounds.

September milk production lower as cow numbers decline

dave@agproud.com — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:27:36 -0400

Contributing to the smaller milking herd, about 2.38 million head of dairy cull cows were marketed through U.S. slaughter plants during January-September 2023, up about 101,500 from the same period in 2022.

Dairy risk management calendar: May 2023

dave@agproud.com — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 16:03:31 -0400

Here’s an update on risk management tools available through the USDA and/or USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), as well as other information impacting your milk check.

March 2023 milk production up 0.5%

dave@agproud.com — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 15:56:32 -0400

The March 2023 USDA data summarizes milk production prior to the fire the killed an estimated 18,000 cows at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas, on April 10.

October U.S. milk production up 1.2%

dave@agproud.com — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 11:55:11 -0500

The number of milk cows on U.S. farms was estimated at 9.42 million head in October, 31,000 head more than October 2021 and 1,000 head more than September 2022.

Dairy replacement cow prices hit six-year high

dave@agproud.com — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 16:52:46 -0400

Price movement didn’t necessarily follow state-level patterns where dairy cow numbers are changing.

September milk production up 1.5%

dave@agproud.com — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 11:36:08 -0400

With preliminary September numbers in, the USDA estimated July-September U.S. milk production was up 1.2% from the same period a year ago.

August milk production up as cow numbers grow

dave@agproud.com — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 10:36:49 -0400

August 2021-22 recap at a glance

Reviewing the USDA preliminary estimates for August 2022 compared to August 2021.