Kansas Sees Increase in Dairy Production

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says milk production from Kansas dairies was up last month.

The USDA says milk production from Kansas dairies totaled 244 million pounds in November, that a 7.5 percent increase from the same month last year.

The production per cow averaged 1,810 pounds, up 40 pounds from 2012. The number of dairy cows was estimated at 135,000 head, which is up 7,000 from the previous year.

The Wichita Eagle reports the recent drought and high corn prices caused ranchers to reduce herds. But the drought has eased and corn prices have fallen since summer, so farmers are sending fewer cattle to feedlots.