Milk production down

ALBANY — Total milk production in New York during 2006, at 12.1 billion pounds, was down slightly from 2005, according to the USDA.

The annual average number of milk cows, at 638,000 head, was down 2 percent from the previous year. Annual output per cow averaged 18,879 pounds, up 1 percent from 2005.

Cash receipts from the sale of New York milk during 2006 totaled $1.61 billion, down 16 percent from the previous year. The $13.40 per hundredweight received for all milk sold by New York farmers was down $2.50, or 16 percent, from the $15.90 received in 2005.

Marketing totals include whole milk and producer- separated cream sold to plants and dealers as well as milk sold directly to consumers. New York dairymen used 32 million pounds of milk on their farms during 2006, down 24 percent from the previous year. About 94 percent of the milk used on farms was fed back to calves. The value of all milk produced, including milk fed back to calves, totaled $1.61 billion, down 16 percent from 2005.

National milk production increased 2.8 percent in 2006 to 182 billion pounds. The annual output per cow, at 19,951 pounds, as 386 pounds above 2005. The average number of milk cows during 2006, at 9.11 million head, was 69,000 head more than 2005. Cash receipts from marketed milk during 2006, at $23.4 billion, were 12.3 percent lower than 2005. Producer returns nationwide averaged $12.97 per hundredweight, 14.6 percent below the 2005 average.

April milk prices up

ALBANY — Prices received by New York producers for milk sold during April increased from a month earlier, according to the USDA.

The price of potatoes and hay also increased. The price of apples, wheat, corn, and eggs decreased. Many previous month prices were revised due to more complete sales information.

Dairy farmers in the Empire State received an average of $16.50 per hundredweight of milk sold during April, 40 cents more than March and $4 more than April a year ago. Poultry producers received an average of 58 cents per dozen eggs sold, down 5.5 cents from March but 22 cents higher than last year. Grain corn, at $3.64 per bushel, decreased 9 cents from March but increased $1.20 from last year. Wheat price was $4.46, 14 cents below last month but $1.16 above last year. Hay averaged $122.00 per ton, $5.00 more than March and $11.00 more than April 2006. Potatoes, at $11.50 per hundredweight, increased 30 cents from March but decreased $1.20 from April last year. Fresh market apple prices at the packinghouse door averaged 27.4 cents per pound this month, 1.2 cents less than last month but 1.9 cents more than last year.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in April, at 135 percent, based on 1990-92=100, increased 1 point (0.7 percent) from March. The Crop Index is down 1 point (0.7 percent) but the Livestock Index increased 3 points (2.4 percent). Producers received higher commodity prices for onions, milk, cattle, and tomatoes. Lower prices were received for lettuce, corn, strawberries, and eggs. The overall index is also affected by the seasonal change based on a 3-year average mix of commodities producers sell. Increased average marketings of cattle, oranges, strawberries, and milk offset decreased marketings of soybeans, corn, wheat, and hogs.

Livestock marketing down 4 percent in 2006

ALBANY — New York livestock producers marketed 236 million pounds of meat animals during 2006, down 4 percent from the 2005 total of 246 million pounds, according to the USDA.

Cattle and calves marketed were down 4 percent from a year earlier. Hogs and pigs were slightly higher, and sheep and lambs decreased 21 percent from the poundage sold in 2005. Meat animal cash receipts, totaling $172 million, were down 9 percent from 2005.

Gross income from livestock during 2006, which includes the sale of meat animals and the value of home consumption, totaled $175 million, down 10 percent from a year earlier. Cattle and calves accounted for 91 percent of this total.

Calf prices, averaging $145.00 per hundred pounds live-weight (cwt.) were up 4 percent from 2005. Cattle prices, at an average of $44.40 per cwt. during 2006, were down 11 percent. Gross income from cattle and calves during 2006 totaled $160 million, down 10 percent from a year earlier. Hog and pig prices averaged $38.00 per cwt. in 2006, down 12 percent from the previous year. Gross income from hogs and pigs during 2006 totaled $11.7 million, down 12 percent from 2005.

Sheep prices averaged $46.10 per cwt., down 10 percent from 2005. Lamb prices averaged $106.00 per cwt., 12 percent lower than during 2005. Gross income from sheep and lambs during 2006 totaled $3.1 million, down 21 percent from 2005.

At the national level, gross income from livestock totaled $64.2 billion, down 2 percent from 2005. Cattle and calves decreased slightly to $49.1 billion. Hogs and pigs decreased 6 percent to $14.1 billion, while sheep and lambs decreased 15 percent to $481 million.

Poultry value decreases

ALBANY — The combined value of New York-produced eggs, broilers, and turkeys, and the value of sales for other chickens, was $48.5 million for the year ending Nov. 30, 2006, according to the USDA.

This total is down 4 percent from a year earlier. Of the 2006 combined value, 81 percent was derived from eggs, 4 percent from broilers, and 15 percent from turkeys.

Egg production in New York during the 2006 year totaled 1.13 billion, down slightly from a year earlier. Egg prices were higher, increasing from 36.9 cents in 2005 to 42.1 cents in 2006. The resulting total value of $39.5 million was 14 percent above the 2005 egg production value of $34.7 million.

Turkey production in 2006 amounted to 14.9 million pounds, up 6 percent from 2005. The average price of 49 cents per pound was up 3 cents from the 2005 price. Value of production totaled $7.29 million, up 13 percent from the 2005 level.

Nationally, the combined value of eggs, broilers, and turkeys, and the sales of other chickens, was $26.8 billion for the year. This total was down 5 percent from $28.2 billion in 2005. The value of broiler production was down 10 percent from 2005, and the value of eggs produced went up. The value of turkeys went up 12 percent.