WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. milk production expanded during the second quarter as dairy farms added cows, even while replacement animals remained expensive. USDA reports April-through-June milk production at 60.2 billion pounds, up about 2.4% from a year earlier.
The dairy herd averaged 9.67 million cows during the quarter, roughly 2% above 2025. Milk per cow increased only slightly to 6,227 pounds, showing that most of the production gain came from additional cows rather than sharply higher productivity.
Expansion remains costly. Replacement cows averaged $3,130 per head, up about 9% from last year and 5% from the first quarter. The value of 16% protein feed also increased to $9.43 per hundredweight.
Those costs can limit how aggressively producers expand even when additional milk is needed by processors. Higher feed expenses also pressure margins when milk prices weaken.
The next quarters will show whether herd growth continues as producers balance strong replacement values, feed costs, and softer dairy-market returns.
Farm-Level Takeaway: More cows are driving higher milk production, but expensive replacements and rising feed costs increase the financial risk of expansion.