Dairy Information: Protecting Your Profits

The Center for Dairy Excellence offers several information resources to help producers identify opportunities to protect their profits. These documents are reviewed on a monthly “Protecting Your Profits” conference call. Click here herehttp://centerfordairyexcellence.adobeconnect.com/pxmibshlgwna/ to access the latest “Protecting Your Profits” Webinar.

Pennsylvania Dairy Industry Scorecard: The Center for Dairy Excellence publishes a monthly “PA Dairy Industry Performance Scorecard,” which looks at key factors supporting the growth of Pennsylvania’s dairy industry and evaluates trends affecting Pennsylvania’s dairy farms.

  • Dairy cow numbers held at 525,000 cows while the national herd seems to have plateaued at  9.405 million cows.
  • The Commonwealth’s rolling monthly milk production grew slightly to just under 11 billion pounds of milk in August,  similar to the Commonwealth’s 2001 production.
  • Total production in the Commonwealth grew 2.8% over last August, .7% more than the national growth in production.
  • Per cow production grew to 64.3 pounds per cow per day, compared to 62.1 last August. The national herd increased production 1 pound per cow / day  to 71.2.
  • PA’s DHI herd average is 22,366 pounds per cow per year.
  • These Pa DHI herds averaged 1549 pounds of of total fat and protein with almost  36% of the herds producing at least 1650 pounds of total components.
  • August margins climbed to the highest level in six months, as feed costs softened after last month’s bump.
  • Somatic cell counts are just below last August.
  • Average days in milk are falling , but they are still higher than August 2016.
  • August pregnancy rates fell slightly.
  • The average calving age has fallen to 25 months. Almost half of Pennsylvania’s DHI herds have a calving age between 21 & 24 months!
  • Cull rates are very similar to the past several years in August.

US Dairy Industry Scorecard: To provide an overview the national dairy industry, with consumption, marketing and production trends, the center publishes the monthly “US Dairy Industry Performance” scorecard.

  • The July MPP one month margin is $9.08.
  • The Pennsylvania MPP margin, calculated with NASS  values for milk, corn, alfalfa hay, and a soybean meal value of + $40.00 over the MPP value was $8.50 in the most recent period.
  • August slaughter numbers are 8% higher than last year & 18% more than August 2014 & 2015.
  • Butter stocks fell for the fifth consecutive month compared to last year. Domestic butter demand and production continues to be strong.
  • Domestic cheese stocks bumped to record August high levels again.
  • CME butter prices are continue to be strong historically,but they are well under other world markets.
  • Cheddar Cheese prices on the CME are well below other world prices.
  • Domestic nonfat dry milk powder prices continue to trade very close to the other world markets.
  • The volume of U.S. dairy exports is the highest in three years. Their value is the highest since 2015. 14.4 percent of the total production in this country left the U.S. compared to 13.1 percent a year ago.

Alan Zepp, the center’s risk management program manager, reviews both of these scorecards monthly during his “Protecting Your Profits” calls. The calls are held the last Wednesday of every month. Click here to access a recording of the latest call.