The 2020/21 milking season in New Zealand is off to a very strong start judging by the latest milk supply production figures from the country. The latest milk supply figures from New Zealand’s dairy industry show milk collection from dairy farms were up more than 5% for the month of August to just over 1.4bn litres.

This brings total milk production for the early part of the new milking season to a cumulative 1.9bn litres, which is almost 5% ahead of the same period last year. Milk production in New Zealand will start to ramp up significantly now as it enters its peak months for milk supply.

Many farmers will be coming to the end of their spring-calving window this month and cows will be producing peak volumes by October. The 2020/21 milking season for New Zealand runs from June 2020 to May 2021 as the seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere.

From September to December, New Zealand milk production will spike to between 2.5bn and 3bn litres per month and can have a major influence on sentiment in global dairy markets. The spring weather in New Zealand over the coming weeks and months can have a major bearing on milk supplies from the island nation.