USDA estimates for December 2014 show year-on-year growth of 3.1%. This compares to growth rates of 3.4% for November, 3.6% in October and 4.2% back in September 2014 compared to the respective month in 2013.
Annual production growth was 2.4%. 2014 was split into two distinctly different halves. During the first half of the year production growth was lacklustre with growth averaging just 1.4% while growth in the second half of the year averaged 3.5% as producers finally responded to the excellent returns on offer.
The increase in milk production was driven by both an increase in the number of cows in milk and by higher cow productivity. In December the number of cows in milk increased to 9.302 million, 1.1% more than at the same time in 2013. Meanwhile cow productivity increased by 2% to reach record levels.
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 rate of growth in milk production varied considerably across the United States. In California, the largest milk producing state, production actually slowed to -0.1%. Meanwhile Wisconsin recorded a 4,000 head increase in cows numbers while cow productivity also improved, bringing growth in production to +5%. Strong growth was also recorded in many of the other major milk producing states: New York (+4.1%), Idaho (+3.5%), Michigan (+7.8%), Texas (+9.7%), and Minnesota (+2.3%).
