Milk Production Continues To Increase

Wisconsin continues to be a leader in dairy production, and Wisconsin’s dairy farmers continue to be more efficient and produce more each year. Milk production in Wisconsin during September 2021 totaled 2.60 billion pounds, up 3 percent from the previous September according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during September, at 1.28 million head, was unchanged from last month but up 22,000 from September 2020. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,035 pounds, up 30 pounds from last September.

From a nationwide standpoint, milk production in the 24 major States during September totaled 17.3 billion pounds, up 0.4 percent from September 2020. August revised production, at 17.9 billion pounds, was up 0.7 percent from August 2020. The August revision represented a decrease of 75 million pounds or 0.4 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 24 major States averaged 1,937 pounds for September, 4 pounds below September
2020. The number of milk cows on farms in the 24 major States was 8.93 million head, 48,000 head more than September 2020, but 22,000 head less than August 2021.

Milk production in the United States during the July – September quarter totaled 55.9 billion pounds, up 0.9
percent from the July – September quarter last year. The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.45 million head, 48,000 head less than the April – June quarter, but 74,000 head more than the same period last year.