Idaho milk production continues to climb

Dairy Foods, April, 2002

TWIN FALLS, Idaho--Idaho's milk production in February rose 7.6 % over a year ago, as the dairy industry in the Golden Valley continues to grow. Idaho milk production during February totaled 607 million lbs, according to the Idaho Agricultural Statistics Service.

That substantial increase in milk production follows an established pattern of year-over-year gains, said Wilson Gray, University of Idaho extension professor.

"We've had a steady historic increase of milk production per cow for some time," Gray said, pointing to the rise in average milk production per cow of 10 pounds over February of last year. February 2002 production per cow was 1,590 pounds, down 160 pounds from January.

The anticipated increase in per-cow production was coupled with a rise in total head. The average number of milk cows in February was 382,000 head, an increase of 2,000 head from January 2002 and 25,000 more than in February 2001.

Nationally, February milk production in the 20 major states totaled 11.4 billion lbs, up 2.8% from production in these same states in February 2001. Production per cow in the 20 major states averaged 1,474 pounds for February, 43 lbs above February 2001. The number of milk cows on farms in the 20 major states was 7.75 million head, 18,000 head less than February 2001, hut 1,000 head more than January 2002.