SD milk production up in third quarter from 2011

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture says South Dakota milk production from July through September was up 6 percent from the same period last year.

The USDA says milk production for the third quarter totaled 487 million pounds. That's down from 1 percent from the second quarter total of 494 million pounds.

The average number of milk cows during the third quarter was 92,000. That's up 2,000 cows from last year and but down 1,000 from last quarter.