U.S. milk production up slightly

Oct 20, 2023

The USDA says September milk production in the 24 major dairy states totaled 17.5 billion pounds, which was slightly more than September of 2022. The revised August 2023 production was 18.1 billion pounds, down seven-tenths of a percent from a year ago.

Production per cow averaged 1,960 pounds in September, three pounds per cow more than a year ago.

The total U.S. milk cow herd during the third quarter averaged 9.38 million head, down 43-thousand head from the 2nd quarter and 33-thousand fewer head than the 3rd quarter of 2022.

California still has the most milk cows with 1.7 million head, followed by Wisconsin with 1.2 million head.

Michigan producers continue to lead the nation in milk-per-cow averaging 2,335 pounds per cow, with Colorado in 2nd with 2,215 pounds per cow and Idaho with 2,205 pounds per cow.

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Video: Exploring Precision Data in Swine Production - Dr. Janice Siegford

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Janice Siegford from Michigan State University discusses how precision livestock farming data can support pig health, welfare, transparency, and decision making. She explains why data ownership, privacy, consumer perception, and cost sharing must be addressed as technology becomes more common on farms. Listen now on all major platforms.

“Precision livestock farming data can support producers, veterinarians, certifiers, and consumers by enabling improved monitoring, prediction, and decision-making across the entire production system.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Janice Siegford / janice-siegford-24318839 is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. Her expertise in animal welfare, neuroscience, and zoology supports research on pig behavior, stress resilience, and precision livestock farming. Her work explores early weaning, genetics, and stakeholder perspectives on technology adoption to improve pig care, health, and productivity. Learn more from Dr. Janice Siegford on The Swine it Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.