In Class III trade at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, milk futures were supported by technical buying and production issues in New Zealand. October was up $.06 at $14.78, November was $.08 higher at $15.51, December was up $.12 at $15.37, and January was $.06 higher at $15.45.

Cash cheese blocks were unchanged at $1.655. The last unfilled bid was on one load at $1.655. Barrels were down $.0075 at $1.55. The last uncovered offer was for one load at $1.55.

Butter was up $.02 at $1.905. There were a total of seven loads sold, including one at $1.905, one at $1.8875, and five at $1.92. The last unfilled bid was on one load at $1.90.

Nonfat dry milk was $.01 lower at $.855 with one load sold. The last unfilled bid was on one load at $.84. The last uncovered offer was for two loads at $.855.

According to the USDA and HighGround Dairy, butter prices in Australia and New Zealand are at their highest for the year because of low global cream availability. Milk productivity is down and Fonterra lowered its outlook for milk solids production because of wet weather on New Zealand’s North Island.