Milk Production Slows, Hot Weather May Help
808 CROPP
Dairy Marketing
and Policy Specialist
University of Wisconsin-
Madison
Cooperative Extension
MADISON. Wis. As of July
16, June milk production data for
21 reporting states show that com
pared to a year ago milk cow num
bers were down 1.1 percent and
milk per cow was up just 1.7 per
cent for an increase in total milk
production of .6 percent
The increase in milk per cow is
below the normal increase of over
2 percent.
However, very hot June weather
for many parts of the U.S. adverse
ly affected milk per cow.
In comparing milk production
data to year ago levels, one needs
to recognize that a year ago at this
time milk production slowed down
and began decreasing from the pre
vious year’s levels in July and
remained below for the remainder
of the year.
Compared to the previous year,
milk per cow was increasing less
than 1 percent from August on and
milk cow numbers were declining
from 1.6 percent to 2.3 percent
from June on.
Total milk production for the
first half of the year was up just .8
percent from a year ago.
Milk production continues to
suffer in both Wisconsin and Min
nesota. Compared to June last
year, Wisconsin and Minnesota
produced 4.3 percent and 3.5 per
cent less milk respectively. Both
had, respectively, 4.5 percent and
3.8 percent fewer milk cows and
milk per cow was up just .4 percent
for both states.
Despite the availability of better
quality forages, the hot and humid
June weather took a 101 l on milk
per cow
Wisconsin has shown an
increase in milk cow numbers for
the past two months.
June milk cow numbers arc up
9,000 head or .6 percent from
April.
With a much improved feed
supply, milk cow numbers may
stabilize some in Wisconsin for the
remainder of the year.
Cows are milking very well in
California. June production per
cow was 5.4 percent more than a
year ago.
With milk cow numbers up 3.3
percent California produced 8.9
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percent more milk in June than a
year earlier.
(Editor’s note: As of deadline,
California has been experiencing a
fairly severe drought National
media reports are that human
drinking water supplies are tight.)
Milk production in the North
east, however, has not increased.
Compared to June last year,
milk production was the same for
New York and down 1.0 percent
and 4.6 percent respectively for
Pennsylvania and Ohio, but up 3.9
percent for Michigan.
Milk per cow was rather poor
for New York, up just 1.1 percent,
and Pennsylvania and Ohio down,
respectively, I.S percent and 3.5
percent
Milk production expansion is
big in Idaho. Compared to last
June, Idaho had 7.8 percent more
milk cows that produced 7.6 per
cent more milk, giving an increase
GETTYSBURG (Adams Co.)
Rotational grazing represents
one of the few new technologies
or systems that does not require a
large investment outlay per cow.
This statement from the May/Junc
1994 edition of Penn State’s Farm
Economic newsletter was support
ed by visiting dairy farmers Mel
vin and Barbara Marks of Airville,
Yak County, when they address
ed a twilight meeting of the
Adams County Holstein Club re
cently.
The event was held at the Lag
ging Stream Farm, a partnership
operated by Mr. and Mbs. Thomas
Clowney and their sons Robert
and John at 361 Barlow Road,
Gettysburg. The Clowneys main
tain a herd of 130 registered Hol
steins, providing com and alfalfa
for the herd on the 300 acres
which they farm. President Mar
vin Brown presided at the meet
ing.
Maintaining a herd of 55 Hol
steins on their 80-acre Bridgeton
Farm, Melvin and Barbara Marks
with the help of three young
daughters let die cows do most of
the harvesting. They described
how they have sub-divided their
alfalfa/orchardgrass sod into
I.S-acre paddock and how a clean
up group of dry cows and lower
producers helps realize full poten
tial from the forage crop.
They cited among the benefits.
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in total milk production of 15.9
percent
Although Washington had just
.8 percent more milk cows, the 3.7
percent more milk per cow
resulted in 4.3 percent more total
milk.
Texas had 3.4 percent more
cows, but the hot weather reduced
the increase in milk per cow to just
1.6 percent but still resulting in 4.9
percent more total milk.
Some other Midwest states
reported milk production down
from a year ago in June.
Production was down 1.3 per
cent in Illinois, 5.6 percent in
Indiana and 1.8 percent in lowa.
With milk production slowing
for the U.S. as a whole, farm milk
prices have bottomed out and will
once again begin to increase.
The Minnesota-Wisconsin price
(M-W), after peaking at $12.99 per
Holstein Club Meets
a higher conception rate and tewer
feet and leg problems in the herd
They surprised their audience with
statements about the durability of
the forage stand under thei parti
cular style of management Ex
perience with pasturing calves and
heifers indicated a $l,OOO return
from I.S acres of timothy.
With three years experience,
the Marks family has plenty of en
thusiasm for the system and an
nounced that they are already
working toward a seasonal milk
production program with planned
time off from milking.
Supporting the positive experi
ence with grazing, Jeffrey Roche.
245 Forest Drive, New Oxford,
told how his BS-cow Holstein herd
is managed for three times per day
milking and rotated daily among
I.S-acre pasture lots.
Opening speaker Dr. Donald
Yorlets, veterinarian from New
Oxford reviewed the incidence of
a new, acute form of Bovine Viral
Diarrhea (BVD) in the common
wealth and the hazard this poses
for livestock producers. He des
cribed the symptoms of the dis
ease, told how it is spread, and
urged all dairy and beef producers
to consult their veterinarians about
vaccinations to prevent animals
from becoming infected Once in
fected there is little that can be
done to help the animal recover.
Of special concern are those ani
mals destined for showing, a
booster vaccination at least 10
hundredweight lor April, fell
$ 1.74 per hundredweight to $ 11.25
for June. The cause of this decline
was a drop in cheese prices from
mid-April to early May of 20.75
cents per pound for chcddar barrel
cheese and 13.75 cents per pound
for chcddar blocks.
But for six consecutive weeks,
cheese prices have strengthened.
As of July IS, on the National
Cheese Exchange, chcddar barrels
have increased 9.25 cents per
pound and Cheddar blocks 7.75
cents per pound.
Although cheese inventories
overall are adequate, good sales
and the slow down in milk produc
tion has caused cheese buyers to be
more aggressive in buying.
Other factors for stronger
cheese prices include good sales,
lower butterfat and protein tests
reducing cheese yields and the
Class 111-A pricing which has
days and not more than 60 days
prior to the show is advised.
County Agent Thomas E. Piper
introduced the speakers and alert
ed the dairy farmers to these com
ing events: the 4-H Fair scheduled
for Saturday, August 6 at South
Mountain Fairgrounds, Arendts-
Shropshire
Elects President
MOUNT JOY (Lancaster Co.)
The Pcnnsylvania-Maryland
Shropshire Breeders Association
recently elected Steven M. Spayd
as their new president.
As chief executive officer of the
association, Spayd will preside at
all meetings as well as direct all
committees. His term will end in
June 1996. The Penn-Mar Shrop
shire Association is the fourth
largest association of the breed in
the nation.
Steve and his wife, Brenda have
20 head of sheep. Steve is employ
ed full time by Georgia-Pacific
Corp., Lancaster and is an active
member of the Lancaster County
Sheep and Wool Growers Asso
ciation and the Pennsylvania Live
stock Association. He was also ac
tively involved in 4-H and FFA on
the local and county level.
The Penn-Mar Shropshire As
sociation will hold its next meet
ing on October 8 at the Keystone
International Livestock Exposi-
I see Us At AG Progress Days
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 6, 1994->A3S
Prices
channeled more milk into the pro
duction of nonfat dry milk and
away from cheese making.
However, with the low value for
butter, considerably more of this
nonfat dry milk is being used by
cheese makers to increase soilds
not-fat in raw milk to capture more
of the milkfat in cheese and
increase the cheese yield.
The M-W will increase for July.
With the increases in cheese prices
that have occurred, the M-W
would increase a minimum of 25 to
30 cents per hundredweight.
If cheese prices show further
strength, and this is likely, we can
expect the July M-W to increase
even more than this.
However, remember that the
$11.25 per hundredweight M-W
for June did not fully reflect all of
the decline in cheese prices that
had occurred earlier.
ville; Ag Progress Days, August
16-18 at the Penn State Ag Re
search Center, Rock Springs, and
the South Mountain Fair now ac
cepting entries for August 31-Sep
tember 4 at the fairgrounds near
Arendtsville.
Association
tion in Harrisburg. New members
are welcome. Anyone wishing to
acquire more information about
the association may contact Steve
at (717) 653-6860.
Steven M. Spayd