Modest spring flush reported in March

Milk production was up half a percent in March because of a larger, more productive herd.

USDA says production in the U.S. totaled nearly 20 billion pounds with production per cow up three pounds from last year.  

The herd size increased by 31,000 head on the year and 6,000 from the previous month.  South Dakota and Iowa producers alone added 28,000 dairy cows in the last year.

South Dakota continues to see the largest increase in overall milk production during March, up more than eight percent, followed by Iowa, up 6.5 percent. 

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