# Milk output climbs despite drop in cow numbers

> USDA data showed US milk output in September rose 1.3% from a year earlier even though the dairy herd fell to 9.31 million cows, its smallest since early 2016. Producers are gaining output through higher milk per cow, and cheese block prices have been volatile.

- Date: 2019-10-28 · published 2019-10-28T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/4110-milk-output-climbs-despite-drop-in-cow-numbers
- Commodities: [Milk (Class III)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/MILK.md)

## Why it matters

Stronger-than-expected milk production adds supply that can cap milk price gains, although a smaller herd limits the size of that effect.

## Read by commodity

- MILK: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MILK | 2025-12-04 | [U.S. Milk Output Rises as Class Prices Drop Sharply - RFD-TV](https://feedsoft.ai/events/4085-u-s-milk-output-rises-as-class-prices-drop-sharply-rfd-tv.md) | +1.0% | -4.6% |
| MILK | 2018-04-30 | [Milk output continuing to climb but appears to be slowing \| Dairy \| leadertelegram.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65655-milk-output-continuing-to-climb-but-appears-to-be-slowing-dairy-leadertelegram.md) | +4.1% | +4.5% |
| MILK | 2025-07-31 | [Class III milk price stumbles, Class IV climbs in July \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23896-class-iii-milk-price-stumbles-class-iv-climbs-in-july-ag-proud.md) | +1.6% | +1.8% |
| MILK | 2024-05-13 | [Increased cow numbers, milk per cow raise 2024-25 milk production estimates \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30250-increased-cow-numbers-milk-per-cow-raise-2024-25-milk-production-estimates-ag.md) | +0.5% | +5.7% |
| MILK | 2023-01-30 | [All Milk Prices Expected To Drop In 2023](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5878-all-milk-prices-expected-to-drop-in-2023.md) | -8.0% | -8.4% |

## Sources

- farmprogress.com: https://www.farmprogress.com/dairy-cattle/milk-output-climbs-despite-drop-in-cow-numbers

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.