U.S. Dairy Cow Slaughter Update – Aug ’15
According to USDA, Jul ’15 U.S. dairy cow slaughter of 238,600 head increased 3.0% YOY and 4.2% MOM on a daily average basis. The monthly YOY increase in dairy cow slaughter was the eighth experienced in a row while the MOM increase in slaughter was considerably larger than the ten year average June – July increase of 0.4%.
Despite the increase in slaughter rates, the U.S. dairy cow herd continued to expand slightly in Jul ’15. The Jul ’15 U.S. milk cow herd finished 1,000 head above the Jun ’15 revised figure to 9,322,000 total head, which was 54,000 head more than July of last year.
MOM increases in dairy cow slaughter were led by Standard Federal Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin) followed by Standard Federal Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada). No MOM declines in dairy cow slaughter were exhibited within the Standard Federal Regions.
The most significant YOY increases in dairy cow slaughter were exhibited in Standard Federal Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada) and Standard Federal Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas). The only YOY decline in dairy cow slaughter was exhibited in Standard Federal Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin).