Larger U.S. dairy herd to support higher production in 2017
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Plentiful supplies of replacement heifers helped to bolster the size of the dairy herd.
The larger herd will help to contribute to further growth in US milk production for 2017.
The latest USDA forecasts have predicted a 2.3% lift in annual milk production, equivalent to an additional 2.2bn litres of milk.
Milk prices are predicted to be higher, leading to an expected 2% improvement in yields as farmers feed better quality dairy rations.
Despite higher milk production, there is little growth in forecasted export volumes, due to strong domestic demand. ■