Washington, DC — Milk production in Iowa during December 2014 totaled 404 million pounds, up 5 percent from 
December 2013 according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report.
The average number of milk cows during December, at 209,000 head, was up 2,000 from last month, and 3,000 more than a year ago. Monthly production per cow averaged 1,935 pounds in December 2014, up 65 pounds from last December. This is tied with 2012 for the highest December milk per cow for Iowa on record, and is the highest December milk production since 1967.
Milk production in the 23 major States during December totaled 16.2 billion pounds, up 3.2 percent from December 2013. November revised production at 15.5 billion pounds, was up 3.5 percent from November 2013. The November revision represented an increase of 12 million pounds or 0.1 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate.
Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,886 pounds for December, 35 pounds above December 2013. This is the highest production per cow for the month of December since the 23 State series began in 2003.
The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States for December, was 8.61 million head, 107,000 head more than December 2013, and 16,000 head more than November 2014.
Milk production in the United States during the October – December quarter totaled 50.9 billion pounds, up 3.4 percent from the October – December quarter last year.
The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.28 million head, 16,000 head more than the July – September quarter, and 83,000 head more than the same period last year.
The entire report can be viewed by clicking here.
