Dairy Slaughter not Enough to Curb Herd Growth

US - Dairy cow slaughter during March 2012 totaled 278,000 head according to USDA’s Livestock Slaughter report, writes Mary Ledman, Sara Dorland, Sarina Sharp and Karen Endres on 20 April 2012.

23 April 2012

2 minute read

North America

That is 17,000 head more than February; however, on a daily average basis March slaughter was down 0.4 per cent vs. February. March 2012 slaughter was 3.7 per cent or 10,000 head more than last year and culling during Q1 2012 is up by 13,000 head, but this is not enough to stifle the 43,000 head growth in the US dairy herd since the end of 2011.

The number of states contributing to the increase is long and distinguished. California, the largest milk producing state, leads the pack with a 6,000 head increase during Q1 2012, followed by: Michigan +5,000 head; Texas and Wisconsin +4,000 head; Arizona +3,000 head; Florida, Indiana, New Mexico and Utah +2,000 head. It is interesting to note, that the dairy herd within the 23 Selected States increased by 34,000 during Q1 2012 compared to the US herd at 43,000 head. This means that dairy herds outside of the key milk producing states are also growing such as South Dakota and Tennessee +2,000 head a piece.

Weekly dairy cow slaughter for the week ending Apr. 9 totaled 63,100 head unchanged vs. last week but 4,900 head more than the prior week.

After yesterday’s absence, barrel cheese reappeared at the CME spot cheese market today. Eleven loads of barrel cheese traded between $1.45/lb. and $1.46/lb., before closing unchanged at $1.46/lb. A total of 31 loads of barrel cheese traded this week. A single bid in the block market moved the spot Cheddar block price1.75¢ higher to $1.5275/ lb. The spot butter market settled unchanged at $1.4175/lb. after two at the market trades. CME Grade A and Extra Grade NDM prices each fell a penny to $1.1675/lb. and $1.1275/lb., respectively on offers.