Milk Output Starts 2004 Lower

WASHINGTON - Feb 178/04 - SNS -- Milk production slipped 0.9% below year earlier levels during January, according to the latest USDA report on he sector.

Output in the 20 major States during January totaled 12.5 billion pounds, down 0.9% from January 2003. December revised production, at 12.3 billion pounds, was down 0.2% from December 2002. The December revision represented an increase of 0.5% or 62 million pounds from last month's preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 20 major States averaged 1,620 pounds for January, 5 pounds above January 2003. The number of cows on farms in the 20 major States was 7.72 million head, 92,000 head less than January 2003, but 5,000 head more than December 2003.

The annual production of milk for the U.S. during 2003 was 170.3 billion pounds, 0.1% above 2002. Revisions to 2002 production increased the annual total by 0.2%. Revised 2003 production was up 0.4% from last month's publication.

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