The CME’s Daily Dairy Report attributes the increases to good weather but does note concerns about feed quality. October was revised to 15.2 billion pounds, up 1 million from the first guess and 2.5% more than October 2010. Production per cow averaged 1,738 pounds, 16 pounds more than November 2010.

The number of milk cows in the 23 top producing states was 8.48 million head, unchanged on the month and up 108,000 on the year. The U.S. total was 9.216 million head, down on the year and the first decline since the last CWT cull in August 2010.

California was the top producer at 3.343 billion pounds, 2.4% ahead of a year ago, followed by Wisconsin at 2.094 billion pounds, up 1.6%, and Idaho at 1.065 billion pounds, an increase of 1.7%.