Idaho Milk Production Up 5.4 Percent

Idaho milk production during May 2011 totaled 1.14 billion pounds, a 5.4 percent increase from the same month last year, and up 6.0 percent from April 2011, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average milk production per cow in May 2011 was 1,980 pounds, up 40 pounds from last year’s level. The average number of milk cows during May was 577,000 head, up 18,000 from May 2010, and up 1,000 head from April 2011.

Milk production in the 23 major States during May totaled 16.0 billion pounds, up 1.5 percent from May 2010. April revised production at 15.5 billion pounds, was up 1.7 percent from April 2010. The April revision represented an increase of 3 million pounds or less than 0.1 percent from last month's preliminary production estimate. Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,899 pounds for May, 6 pounds above May 2010.