Milk futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed mixed Thursday as cash cheese markets continue to slide. The block/barrel spread ended the day at a record-high $0.38.

September Class III milk unchanged at $18.25.  October down 25 cents at $18.48.  November four cents higher at $18.12.  December up 16 cents at $17.47.  January through April contracts eight to 15 cents higher.

Dry whey unchanged at $0.3975. 

Blocks down $0.0725 at $2.0450.  One trade was made at $2.0650.

Barrels down $0.12 at $1.6650.  Eights trades were ranging from $1.6650 to 1.69.

Butter down $0.0075 at $2.1025.  Three trades were made at $2.1025 to $2.1050.

Nonfat dry milk up $0.0025 at $1.0775.  Three trades were made at $1.0750 to $1.0775. 

The USDA says the dairy cow slaughter for August was 266,600 head, up 9,800 head on the month, but down 13,100 on the year.

The year to date total is 2.161 million head, 73,000 ahead of the 2018 pace.