The latest USDA estimate released earlier this week shows milk production in the United States expanding, with February 2012 production up 8% compared to a year ago – partly due to an extra day for Leap Year.

According to USDA, Milk production in the 23 major States during February totaled 15.2 billion pounds, up 8.3 percent from February 2011. However, adjusting production for the additional day due to leap year causes February milk production to be up 4.6 percent on a per day basis. January revised production at 15.8 billion pounds, was up 3.9 percent from January 2011. The January revision represented an increase of 24 million pounds or 0.2 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate.

Productivity per cow was also up in February by about 7% and the herd size increased as well. Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,782 pounds for February, 117 pounds above February 2011. The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.51 million head, 102,000 head more than February 2011, and 8,000 head more than January 2012.