Farm audits for the second herd retirement implemented by Cooperatives
Working Together in 2009 have been completed, and the majority of the 74,114 cows that
produced 1.5 billion pounds of milk have been sent to processing plants. In addition, 2,958
bred heifers also were removed through CWT’s eighth herd retirement round.
In this most recent round, CWT removed 274 herds in 38 states. When combined with the herd
retirements completed last winter and earlier this spring, CWT has removed 225,783 cows that
produced 4.5 billion pounds of milk. In addition, the nearly 3,000 bred heifers taken in this herd
retirement bring the total removed by CWT in the past nine months to 5,016.
CWT received 312 bids from dairies in 39 states during the bidding process in July, which
offered a set maximum acceptable bid price. As a result of the selection and auditing process
CWT follows, along with some withdrawals by bidders, the final number of bids processed
totaled 274, down 20 from the initial tentative tally.  For the full news story click here.