U.S. milk is flowing, plentifully. Preliminary Agriculture Department data reports August output in the top 23 producing states at 17 billion pounds, up 2.1 percent from August 2016. The 50-state 
total is 18.1 billion pounds, up 2 percent. Revisions added 31 million pounds to the original July 23-state estimate, now put at 17.2 billion pounds, up 2.1 percent from a year ago.
Milk cow numbers totaled 8.73 million head in the 23 states, unchanged from July but 66,000 more than a year ago. The 50-state total, at 9.41 million head, is also unchanged from July but 71,000 above a year ago. Output per cow averaged 1,948 pounds in the 23 states, up an impressive 26 pounds.
California output was off 0.7 percent from a year ago, the seventh consecutive month it has trailed, largely due to 13,000 fewer cows milked. Output per cow was unchanged. Wisconsin was up 1.8 percent, thanks to a 35 pound gain per cow, but cow numbers were unchanged.
Utah saw the biggest increase at 10.2 percent, but Texas remains up there as well, up 9.2 percent, driven by 30,000 more cows and a 55 pound gain per cow.
Idaho was down 0.2 percent on a 10 pound loss per cow not being offset by a 2,000 cow increase. Michigan was up 3 percent, thanks to a 40 pound gain per cow and 5,000 more cows. Minnesota was up 4 percent on an 85 pound gain per cow, but cow numbers were down 4,000 head. New Mexico was up 3.5 percent, despite a 20 pound loss per cow, but cow numbers made up the difference, up 14,000 head. New York was up 1.9 percent on a 25 pound gain per cow and 4,000 more cows. Pennsylvania saw a 2.8 percent increase, thanks to 60 pounds more per cow, but cow numbers were down 4,000. Washington State inched 0.2 percent lower on a 5 pound loss per cow and unchanged cow numbers.
Courtesy of The Mielke Market Weekly
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