US dairy cooperative DFA, which is supplied by its 15,000 dairy farmer owners in 48 states, handled 27.8m tonnes of milk in 2013, according to the International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN).
This figure, according to IFCN, equates to 3.7% of milk produced worldwide.
"Only a small share" of this total was, however, processed by DFA, according to IFCN. The remaining "major share" was sold to other processors, it said.
The IFCN Top 20 Milk Processor List 2014, published earlier this week, takes into account data on collected milk volume and dairy commodity purchases, analysis and estimates.
Second place Fonterra, the world's largest dairy exporter, meanwhile took in 22m tonnes of milk - 2.9% of the global total.
Picking up bronze, French dairy giant Lactalis and its Italian business Parmalat handled 15m tonnes (2%), IFCN said.
Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé, which has topped the revenue-based Rabobank Dairy Top 20 in recent years, was ranked fourth, with IFCN estimated it collected and purchased between 14m and 15m tonnes of milk (2%).
Arla Foods (12.7m tonnes), FrieslandCampina (10.3m tonnes), Dean Foods (10.1m tonnes), Danone (between 8m and 9m tonnes), California Dairies (8.1m tonnes), and DMK (6.8m tonnes) completed the top 10.
Amul's "destiny"
It was, however, Indian dairy Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCCMF), known commonly as Amul, that caused the biggest splash.
Amul, which IFCN estimates collected 4.8m tonnes of milk, placed fifteenth - up from twentieth in 2012.
In a statement, the Gujarati dairy congratulated itself on its standing.
"Other top ranked dairy organizations in the list are multinationals operating in multiple countries, while Amul operates primarily in India," it said.
It added that managing director, Shri Sodhi, had "expressed confidence that since India is the largest milk producing nation in the world, GCMMF will also one day fulfil its destiny of becoming the largest dairy organization in the entire world and become the centre of gravity for the global dairy industry."
Just ahead of Amul, Saputo collected 6m tonnes (11), Glanbia 6m tonnes (12), Land O'Lakes 5.4m tonnes (13), and Sodiaal 5.3m tonnes (14).
Completing the bottom half of the table, Yili handled between 4.5m and 5m tonnes (16), Müller 4.4m tonnes (17), Mengniu between 4m and 4.5m tonnes (18), Bongrain 4.2m tonnes (19), and Darigold 3.6m tonnes (20).
Ranked in terms of estimated turnover per kg of milk handled French dairy giant Danone took the crown, according to IFCN.
Dividing turnover by milk intake, IFCN estimated Danone's turnover at US$1.90 per kg of milk.
Chinese dairies Yili (US$1.60), Mengniu (US$1.60), Müller (US$1.50), Bongrain (US$1.40), and Nestlé (US$1.25) followed closely.