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South Dakota Seeing Rapid Growth In Dairy Industry

In the latest report from USDA, NASS (National Agricultural Statistic Service) as of July, 2015 there was a reported increase in total cows in the state from June, 2014 to June, 2015 of 9,000 head of milking and dry cows. This brings the total number of cows in the state to be an estimated 106,000 head (USDA, July, 2015) versus 97,000 reported in June, 2014.
 
Simultaneously, the average production per cow also increased from 1,805 pounds/cow to 1,850 pounds/cow impacting the overall total production in the state from June, 2014 to June 2015. This also impacted the total production of 175 million pounds shown in June, 2014 versus June, 2015 which is estimated having a total production of 196 million pounds indicating a 12.0% increase in pounds of milk produced per cow.
 
Nationally, in the 23 major Dairy states it was reported that during June, 2015 total Milk production increased 0.7 percent from June, 2014 and totaled 16.4 billion pounds. However, nationally there was no change in average production per cow for June, 2015 compared to June, 2014 which stayed steady at 1,895 pounds of milk/cow. However, there was an increase in 56,000 head of milk cows in the 23 major states from June, 2014 to June, 2015, but there was 2,000 less milk cows from May, 2015 to June, 2015.
 
To view each of the 23 major states and the changes reported please reference the chart below or access the USDA Milk Production report.
 
 
Milk Cows & Production: 23 Selected States, June 2014 & 2015
 


Milk Cows1

Milk per Cow2

Milk Production2

State

2014

(1,000 head)

2015

(1,000 head)

2014

(pounds)

2015

(pounds)聽

2014

(million
pounds)

2015

(million
pounds)

Change
2014-15

(percent)

Arizona

193

195

2,065

2,085

399

407

2.0

California

1,779

1,778

1,995

1,910

3,549

3,396

-4.3

Colorado

145

145

2,105

2,160

305

313

2.6

Florida

123

125

1,770

1,785

218

223

2.3

Idaho

577

586

2,065

2,055

1,192

1,204

1.0

Illinois

94

94

1,640

1,680

154

158

2.6

Indiana

178

181

1,840

1,860

328

337

2.7

Iowa

207

212

1,860

1,910

385

405

5.2

Kansas

142

143

1,830

1,835

260

262

0.8

Michigan

387

408

2,085

2,120

807

865

7.2

Minnesota

460

460

1,645

1,715

757

789

4.2

New Mexico

323

323

2,130

2,035

688

657

-4.5

New York

615

618

1,885

1,930

1,159

1,193

2.9

Ohio

266

266

1,720

1,710

458

455

-0.7

Oregon

125

123

1,735

1,705

217

210

-3.2

Pennsylvania

530

530

1,665

1,715

882

909

3.1

South Dakota

97

106

1,805

1,850

175

196

12.0

Texas

468

462

1,850

1,835

866

848

-2.1

Utah

95

96

1,945

1,990

185

191

3.2

Vermont

131

132

1,720

1,710

225

226

0.4

Virginia

93

91

1,570

1,620

146

147

0.7

Washington

274

276

2,050

2,030

562

560

-0.4

Wisconsin

1,270

1,278

1,830

1,880

2,324

2,403

3.4

23-State Total

8,572

8,628

1,895

1,895

16,241

16,354

0.7

 

 

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