Da 1-1 (5-10) Milk Production Washington, D.C. Released May 18, 2010, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Milk Production" call Mike Miller at 202-720-3278, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. April Milk Production up 1.7 Percent Milk production in the 23 major States during April totaled 15.2 billion pounds, up 1.7 percent from April 2009. March revised production at 15.4 billion pounds, was up 0.9 percent from March 2009. The March revision represented an increase of 9 million pounds or 0.1 percent from last month's preliminary production estimate. Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,823 pounds for April, 63 pounds above April 2009. The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.33 million head, 155,000 head less than April 2009, but 3,000 head more than March 2010. Milk Cows and Production: By Quarter, United States, 2009-2010 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Milk Cows 2/ : Milk Per Cow 3/ : Milk Production 3/ :--------------------------------------------------------------------- Quarter : : : : : : : Change : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : From : : : : : : : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head ---- Pounds ---- Million Pounds Percent : Jan-Mar : 9,295 9,090 5,097 5,208 47,374 47,340 -0.1 Apr-Jun : 9,262 5,278 48,888 Jul-Sep : 9,155 5,111 46,793 Oct-Dec : 9,090 5,090 46,265 : Annual : 9,201 20,576 189,320 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ May not add due to rounding. 2/ Includes dry cows, excludes heifers not yet fresh. 3/ Excludes milk sucked by calves. Milk Cows and Production: By Month, 23 Selected States, 2009-2010 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Milk Cows 2/ : Milk Per Cow 3/ : Milk Production 3/ :--------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : : : : : : : Change : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : from : : : : : : : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head ---- Pounds ---- Million Pounds Percent : Jan : 8,506 8,315 1,752 1,784 14,902 14,831 -0.5 Feb : 8,486 8,319 1,605 1,642 13,624 13,660 0.3 Mar : 8,482 8,322 1,795 1,846 15,222 15,364 0.9 Apr : 8,480 8,325 1,760 1,823 14,922 15,178 1.7 May : 8,475 1,834 15,541 Jun : 8,434 1,749 14,754 Jul : 8,397 1,771 14,867 Aug : 8,372 1,745 14,606 Sep : 8,335 1,675 13,957 Oct : 8,316 1,720 14,306 Nov : 8,314 1,681 13,979 Dec : 8,311 1,761 14,632 : Annual : 8,409 20,848 175,312 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ 2010 previous month revised. 2/ Includes dry cows, excludes heifers not yet fresh. 3/ Excludes milk sucked by calves. Estimated Milk Cows and Production: By Month, United States, 2009-2010 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Milk Cows 2/ : Milk Per Cow 3/ : Milk Production 3/ :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : Change Month : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : From : : : : : : : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head ---- Pounds ---- Million Pounds Percent : Jan : 9,312 9,086 1,733 1,762 16,135 16,010 -0.8 Feb : 9,289 9,090 1,588 1,622 14,754 14,745 -0.1 Mar : 9,283 9,093 1,776 1,824 16,485 16,585 0.6 Apr : 9,282 9,096 1,740 1,801 16,148 16,385 1.5 May : 9,274 1,812 16,805 Jun : 9,230 1,726 15,935 Jul : 9,187 1,744 16,018 Aug : 9,159 1,718 15,737 Sep : 9,120 1,649 15,038 Oct : 9,096 1,695 15,420 Nov : 9,091 1,658 15,070 Dec : 9,082 1,737 15,775 : Annual : 9,201 20,576 189,320 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ 2010 revised. 2/ Includes dry cows, excludes heifers not yet fresh. 3/ Excludes milk sucked by calves. Milk Cows and Production: By State, April 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Milk Cows 1/ : Milk Per Cow 2/ : Milk Production 2/ :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State : : : : : : : Change : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : From : : : : : : : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head ---- Pounds --- Million Pounds Percent : AZ : 188 170 2,055 2,160 386 367 -4.9 CA : 1,821 1,752 1,885 1,960 3,433 3,434 CO : 128 117 1,920 1,975 246 231 -6.1 FL : 117 114 1,710 1,760 200 201 0.5 ID : 551 554 1,800 1,850 992 1,025 3.3 IL : 102 101 1,625 1,670 166 169 1.8 IN : 167 169 1,710 1,745 286 295 3.1 IA : 215 212 1,710 1,750 368 371 0.8 KS : 120 116 1,775 1,805 213 209 -1.9 MI : 356 357 1,865 1,955 664 698 5.1 MN : 468 470 1,605 1,650 751 776 3.3 MO : 110 101 1,320 1,325 145 134 -7.6 NM : 332 323 2,070 2,090 687 675 -1.7 NY : 623 610 1,670 1,735 1,040 1,058 1.7 OH : 277 268 1,590 1,670 440 448 1.8 OR : 114 115 1,675 1,710 191 197 3.1 PA : 549 541 1,640 1,710 900 925 2.8 TX : 430 410 1,810 1,855 778 761 -2.2 UT : 85 84 1,720 1,780 146 150 2.7 VT : 136 136 1,520 1,575 207 214 3.4 VA : 96 95 1,585 1,560 152 148 -2.6 WA : 239 249 1,920 1,975 459 492 7.2 WI : 1,256 1,261 1,650 1,745 2,072 2,200 6.2 : 23-State : Total : 8,480 8,325 1,760 1,823 14,922 15,178 1.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes dry cows, excludes heifers not yet fresh. 2/ Excludes milk sucked by calves. Milk Cows and Production: By State, March 2009-2010 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Milk Cows 2/ : Milk per Cow 3/ : Milk Production 3/ :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State : : : : : : : Change : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : From : : : : : : : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head ---- Pounds --- Million Pounds Percent : AZ : 189 170 2,110 2,180 399 371 -7.0 CA : 1,821 1,757 1,925 1,980 3,505 3,479 -0.7 CO : 128 116 1,980 2,000 253 232 -8.3 FL : 117 113 1,760 1,820 206 206 ID : 550 554 1,840 1,880 1,012 1,042 3.0 IL : 102 101 1,675 1,715 171 173 1.2 IN : 167 169 1,750 1,765 292 298 2.1 IA : 215 210 1,730 1,775 372 373 0.3 KS : 122 116 1,835 1,820 224 211 -5.8 MI : 355 356 1,895 1,975 673 703 4.5 MN : 468 470 1,640 1,675 768 787 2.5 MO : 108 101 1,320 1,295 143 131 -8.4 NM : 333 321 2,110 2,105 703 676 -3.8 NY : 623 610 1,700 1,755 1,059 1,071 1.1 OH : 277 268 1,610 1,680 446 450 0.9 OR : 114 115 1,710 1,750 195 201 3.1 PA : 550 541 1,670 1,730 919 936 1.8 TX : 430 410 1,850 1,890 796 775 -2.6 UT : 85 84 1,740 1,790 148 150 1.4 VT : 136 136 1,565 1,595 213 217 1.9 VA : 97 95 1,600 1,570 155 149 -3.9 WA : 239 249 1,950 2,020 466 503 7.9 WI : 1,256 1,260 1,675 1,770 2,104 2,230 6.0 : 23-State : Total : 8,482 8,322 1,795 1,846 15,222 15,364 0.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ 2010 revised. 2/ Includes dry cows, excludes heifers not yet fresh. 3/ Excludes milk sucked by calves. Reliability Statement Survey Procedures: Primary data used to determine these estimates were obtained from a sample of producers. Individual States maintain a list of all known milk producers and information on the size of their herd. States use all known sources of producers to ensure that their lists are as complete as possible. Generally, all large producers and a sample of small producers are included in the survey. Questionnaires are mailed to producers near the end of the month to obtain data for the first day of the month. Additional reports are obtained by telephone, as needed, to supplement the mail response. Where feasible, States utilize state and federal administrative data, rather than conduct a monthly or quarterly survey, to estimate milk production. This eliminates duplication of data gathering by different government agencies. Indications of milk cow inventory are also obtained in the January and July Cattle Surveys. Estimation Procedures: State offices prepare these estimates by using a combination of survey indications, historic trends, and any available administrative data. Individual State estimates are reviewed by the Agricultural Statistics Board for reasonableness. Revision Policy: Milk production, rate per cow, and number of cows are subject to revision the following month for monthly States or the following quarter for the quarterly States. Normally, Federal Market Order sales are the main basis for revisions. However, data for all orders are not available in time for this revision. Estimates are again subject to revisions in February each year based on additional administrative data. In the event that additional changes are necessary, a third revision is possible in February the following year. Estimates are again reviewed after data from the five-year Census of Agriculture are available. No revisions are made after that date. Reliability: Since all operations with dairy animals are not included in the sample, survey estimates are subject to sampling variability. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling errors such as omissions, duplications, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. The effects of these errors cannot be measured directly. They are minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and through a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. To assist users in evaluating the reliability of the estimates in this report, the "Root Mean Square Error" is shown for selected items on the next page. The "Root Mean Square Error" is a statistical measure based on past performance and is computed using the differences between first and final estimates. The "Root Mean Square Error" for the 23 State milk cow inventory estimates over the past 24 months is 0.4 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 8.33 million head by more than 0.4 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.6 percent. Reliability of Monthly Milk Production Estimates 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Difference Between : Months : Root : 90% : First and Latest :--------------- : Mean : Confidence : Estimates : First : First Item :Square : Level :-------------------------: Above : Below : Error : :Average:Smallest:Largest :Latest :Latest -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent ------ Million Pounds ------ Number : Milk : Production : 0.2 0.3 48 22 4 58 2 22 : Percent -------- 1,000 Head -------- Number : All Milk : Cows : 0.4 0.6 51 20 0 55 6 14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Based on the 23 State total for the past 24 months. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ........... (202) 720-3570 Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424 Jim Collom - Dairy Products .................. (202) 690-3236 Joe Gaynor - Dairy Products Prices ........... (202) 690-2168 Jason Hardegree - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ..... (202) 720-3040 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (515) 284-4340 Everett Olbert - Sheep and Goats ............. (202) 720-4751 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Nick Streff - Hogs and Pigs .................. (202) 720-3106 ACCESS TO REPORTS!! For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data products, and services: INTERNET ACCESS All NASS reports are available free of charge. For free access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at: www.nass.usda.gov. E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your e-mail address. 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