Recently the United States Department of Agriculture reported that licensed dairy farm numbers declined by 1,225 farms, a drop of 2.7%. The total number of licensed dairy farms is now 43,584. With an estimated 9.317 million cows on farms, the average U.S. dairy farm now houses about 215 cows. Wisconsin dipped below 10,000 farms this past year to 9,900, that’s a drop of 390 farms. Surprisingly, the number of dairy cows in the Badger State is actually up in January, to 1.28 million head. California herd numbers also dipped, but by only 20 herds, to 1,465, for a loss of just 1.3%.
To read the full report, click here, then scroll to page 18.
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