1997 MILK PRODUCTION SUMMARY


     Milk production in Virginia totaled 1.86 billion pounds in 1997, up slightly from 1996. Of the 1997 milk produced, 15 million pounds were used on the farms where produced. Milk eligible for the fluid consumption market totaled 1.83 billion pounds. Milk produced solely for manufacturing dairy products totaled 18 million pounds. The average number of milk cows during 1997 was 122,000 head, 4,000 fewer than 1996. Milk production per cow averaged 15,238 pounds for all of 1997, a decrease of 913 pounds from the 1996 average. A total of 66.2 million pounds of milkfat was produced in 1997. There were 1,600 farms in Virginia with one or more milk cows in 1997.
    Cash receipts from marketings of Virginia produced milk and cream totaled $258 million, a decrease of 11 percent from 1996 receipts. A total of 1.84 billion pounds of milk was sold by Virginia dairymen in 1997. Average prices received for milk in 1997 were $14.00 per hundredweight for grade A milk and $10.70 for manufacturing grade milk. The grade A milk price was $2.30 above the 1996 price and the manufacturing milk price was $1.20 above the 1996 price. .


Production, Disposition, and Income, 1992 - 96 Revised, 1997 Preliminary
Item
Unit
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Milk Cows on Farms 1/ Thous. 137 132 130 129 126 122

Milk Production 2/
Milk Per Cow Lbs. 14,956 15,114 14,800 15,116 14,325 15,238
Milkfat Per Cow Lbs. 541 538 536 543 520 542
Total Milk Mil. Lbs. 2,049 1,995 1,924 1,950 1,805 1,859
Total Milkfat Mil. Lbs. 74 71 70 70 65.5 66.2

Milk Used Where Produced
Fed to Calves 2/ Mil. Lbs. 17 16 16 16 12 13
Milk, Cream & Butter Mil. Lbs. 5 4 4 4 3 2
Total Used on Farm Mil. Lbs. 22 20 20 20 15 15

Milk Marketed by Producers 3/
Total Milk Marketings 3/ Mil. Lbs. 2,027 1,975 1,904 1,930 1,790 1,844
Combined Price Per 100 Lbs. Dols. 14.40 14.00 14.30 13.80 16.20 14.00
Cash Receipts Thous. $ 291,888 276,500 272,272 266,340 289,980 258,160

Value of Milk Used
Value of Milk Used Where Produced 4/ Thous. $ 720 560 572 552 486 280
Gross Producer Income 5/ Thous. $ 292,608 277,060 272,844 266,892 290,466 258,440
Value of Milk Produced 4/ 6/ Thous. $ 295,056 279,300 275,132 269,100 292,410 260,260
1/ Based on average number on farms during year, excluding heifers not yet fresh. 2/ Excludes milk suckled by calves. 3/ Sold to plants and dealers, and includes milk produced by dealer's own herds, milk sold directly to consumers, and milk produced by institutional herds. 4/ Valued at average returns per 100 pounds of milk in combined marketings of milk and cream. 5/ Cash receipts from marketings of milk and cream plus value of milk used for home consumption and farm churned butter. 6/ Includes value of milk fed to calves.


DAIRY

Milk Cows, Production per Cow, and Total Production by Months 1992 - 1997 1/
Month 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Milk Cows on Farms 2/ -Thousand Head-
January 140 134 130 129 128 125
February 139 133 130 129 127 124
March 138 133 130 129 127 124
April 137 132 130 129 127 123
May 137 132 130 129 126 122
June 136 132 130 129 126 122
July 136 131 129 129 126 121
August 136 132 129 129 126 121
September 136 131 129 129 126 120
October 135 131 129 128 126 120
November 135 131 129 128 126 120
December 135
130 129 128 125 120
Annual Average 137 132 130 129 126 122
Milk Per Cow 3/ -Pounds-
January 1,295 1,345 1,285 1,350 1,235 1,270
February 1,235 1,235 1,160 1,215 1,165 1,180
March 1,325 1,345 1,290 1,355 1,265 1,320
April 1,275 1,310 1,275 1,335 1,240 1,300
May 1,285 1,320 1,275 1,350 1,245 1,345
June 1,185 1,205 1,145 1,240 1,105 1,240
July 1,160 1,185 1,170 1,210 1,125 1,230
August 1,205 1,225 1,210 1,195 1,160 1,250
September 1,200 1,185 1,220 1,200 1,140 1,240
October 1,265 1,250 1,260 1,240 1,200 1,280
November 1,245 1,235 1,250 1,205 1,170 1,260
December 1,310
1,290 1,310 1,250 1,240 1,340
Annual Average 14,956 15,114 14,800 15,116 14,325
15,238
Milk Production 3/ -Million Pounds-
January 181 180 167 174 158 159
February 172 164 151 157 148 146
March 183 179 168 175 161 164
April 175 173 166 172 157 160
May 176 174 166 174 157 164
June 161 159 149 160 139 151
July 158 155 151 156 142 149
August 164 162 156 154 146 151
September 163 155 157 155 144 149
October 171 164 163 159 151 154
November 168 162 161 154 147 151
December 177 168 169 160 155 161
Annual Total 2,049 1,995 1,924 1,950 1,805 1,859
1/ 1992-1996 Revised, 1997 Preliminary. 2/ Average number during year, excluding heifers not yet fresh. 3/ Excludes milk suckled by calves.

Virginia Agricultural Statistics Service . (800) 772-0670