Milk production rose 1.5% in April, reflecting a 1% increase in cow numbers and 0.5% increase in average per-cow yield. April cow numbers were up 5,000 head from March, with the USDA revising the prior month’s number up by 16,000.

Californian milk production continued to recover from its major Avian fu outbreak, with  –1.4% in April the smallest YOY contraction in seven months. Production grew in all other regions with the strongest expansions in Texas, Idaho, South Dakota and Kansas. Upper Midwest production was up 1.7% YOY, while Desert States output increased 5.8% YOY.