US Dairy Production Sees Slight Increase Amid Varied Regional Performance and Ongoing Challenges

The average production per cow across the 24 major dairy states reached 2,036 lbs. for August, 8 lbs. more than in August 2023.

Phil Plourd, president of Ever.Ag Insights, commented on the data, pointing out that the production gap narrowed due to improved weather conditions and fewer Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) infections in some key regions. California, one of the states that saw a 2.0% year-over-year increase in production, was among the leaders, along with South Dakota (up 8.5%) and Texas (up 7.8%). In contrast, New Mexico experienced the steepest decline, down 11.3%.

Looking forward, Plourd emphasized the significance of monitoring the financial outlook for dairy farms, questioning whether improved financial conditions could lead to increased milk production. Environmental factors, disease outbreaks, and economic considerations are expected to remain pivotal in shaping the industry's future performance.

Additionally, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed 18 more outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu in dairy cattle, nearly doubling the total number of outbreaks in the state of California, highlighting ongoing challenges in the sector.