Dairy product prices higher on strong domestic use

摘要

Prices for most dry dairy products, as well as for cheese and butter, were above year-ago levels at midyear as strong domestic use mostly offset weaker exports. Milk supplies eased ever so slightly in the first half of 2019 but were expected higher for the year. Milk production in the United States during the first half of 2019 totaled 110.2 billion lbs, down 28 million lbs from the same period last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest Milk Production report. The number of milk cows in June totaled 9,323,000 head, down 91,000, or 1%, from June 2018, but average milk produced per cow increased 12 lbs, or 0.6%, from a year ago to 1,955 lbs in June 2019. For the full year, the U.S.D.A. forecast milk production at 218.2 billion lbs, up 0.3% from 2018, milk cows at 9,340,000 head, down 0.6%, and milk-per-cow at 23,365 lbs, up 0.9%. In its midyear cattle inventory report, the U.S.D.A. said the number of milk cows was down 1% from 2018 and the number of milk replacement heifers was down 2%, indicating a production increase would have to come from milk per cow.