Although milk prices might look lucrative – milk production in the United States and Wisconsin isn’t growing.
The latest update from the Wisconsin Ag Statistical Service shows that our cow numbers slipped a bit in April, and milk production was about 1% lower than last April. Milk production in Wisconsin during April 2022 totaled 2.64 billion pounds, down slightly from the previous April according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during April, at 1.27 million head, was unchanged from last month but down 1,000 from April 2021. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,075 pounds, unchanged from last April.
This is a trend that’s being witnessed across the United States.
Milk production in the 24 major States during April totaled 18.3 billion pounds, down 0.9 percent from April 2021. March revised production, at 18.8 billion pounds, was down 0.3 percent from March 2021. The March revision represented an increase of 23 million pounds or 0.1 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate.
Production per cow in the 24 major States averaged 2,054 pounds for April, 1 pound below April 2021.
The number of milk cows on farms in the 24 major States was 8.91 million head, 78,000 head less than April 2021, but unchanged from March 2022.
Milk production in the United States during April totaled 19.2 billion pounds, down 1.0 percent from April 2021. Production per cow in the United States averaged 2,037 pounds for April, unchanged from April 2021.
The number of milk cows on farms in the United States was 9.40 million head, 98,000 head less than April 2021, but unchanged from March 2022.
Tom Fincutter says
Cant expect anything differant , they are killing the family farm , now theres talk if you cant ship a full tanker every day theydont want your milk , used to be they paid better for high quality milk ( low bacteria and high butter fat) but quanity is all they are after not quality , so the family dairy is killed and the factory takes over…
Rod Roskopf says
Most milk plants hold their producers to a higher standard, than they did 10 years ago or you get cut from shipping milk. With over production and under staffed milk plants, the industry is changing and has to change. Some of that is due to the consumer wanting to know where their food comes from, and is much easier to do with truckloads of milk from a farm, instead of many farms to fill a truck.