The U.S. Department of Agriculture released this week its latest “Milk Production” report, showing production in the 24 major States during September totaled 16.8 billion pounds, a 1.6% increase from September 2018. August revised production at 17.5 billion pounds, was up 0.5% from August 2018. The August revision represented an increase of 32 million pounds or 0.2% from last month's preliminary production estimate, USDA noted.

Production per cow in the 24 major States averaged 1,913 pounds for September, 33 pounds above September 2018. The number of milk cows on farms in the 24 major States was 8.80 million head, 11,000 head less than September 2018, but 7,000 head more than August 2019.

Milk production in the U.S. during the July - September quarter totaled 54.3 billion pounds, up 0.5% from the same period last year. The average number of milk cows during the quarter was 9.32 million head, 10,000 head less than the April - June quarter, and 66,000 head less than the same period last year.