Summary of DHI Herd Averages
DHI Report K-3

DHI Herd Averages 2021  
Table 1. 2021 Averages of DHI cow herds by herd size

  Records Milk Fat Protein
Herd size (cow-years per herd) Herds Cow-years (lbs) (%) (lbs) % Reporting (%) (lbs) % Reporting
5- 24 250 3,897 17,324 4.20 725 100 3.28 566 100
25- 49 1,653 67,244 19,682 4.03 793 100 3.15 620 100
50- 74 2,562 155,486 21,759 4.00 871 100 3.14 684 100
75- 99 1,479 127,152 22,164 4.02 891 100 3.17 701 100
100- 149 1,670 204,178 22,842 4.01 916 99 3.18 726 99
150- 199 793 137,196 23,181 4.02 933 99 3.19 740 99
200- 299 898 219,986 24,190 4.00 968 99 3.18 771 99
300- 399 471 163,063 24,985 4.01 1,002 99 3.18 796 99
400- 499 348 155,818 25,275 4.02 1,017 99 3.19 808 98
500- 749 539 333,188 26,044 3.99 1,039 98 3.18 830 97
750- 999 258 221,183 26,357 3.97 1,047 98 3.18 839 97
1,000-1,499 317 388,433 26,368 3.99 1,054 99 3.21 850 97
1,500-1,999 196 338,969 26,433 3.96 1,046 100 3.22 852 98
2,000-2,999 184 449,294 26,202 4.03 1,055 100 3.24 847 99
3,000-3,999 87 299,181 26,566 4.01 1,064 100 3.24 863 99
4,000+ 121 713,700 25,516 4.00 1,020 99 3.27 834 98
All Herds 11,826 3,977,968 25,242 4.00 1,010 99 3.21 811 98 

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DHI Herd Averages 2021  
Table 2. 2021 Averages of DHI cow herds by breed and test-plan category

  Records Milk Fat Protein
Breed Test Plan Category Herds Cow-years Cow-years per herd (lb) (%) (lb) % Reporting (%) (lb) % Reporting
Ayrshire Official 32 1,541 48 15,878 4.08 647 100 3.19 506 100
  Management 4 121 30 8,604 3.90 336 100 3.08 265 100
  All plans 36 1,662 46 15,350 4.07 625 100 3.18 489 100
Brown Swiss Official 102 8,648 85 20,291 4.23 858 100 3.44 698 100
  Management 4 180 45 18,460 4.35 802 100 3.44 635 100
  All plans 106 8,827 83 20,254 4.23 856 100 3.44 696 100
Guernsey Official 51 3,101 61 16,094 4.73 761 100 3.40 548 100
  Management 5 190 38 13,506 4.49 607 100 3.30 446 100
  All plans 56 3,291 59 15,945 4.72 752 100 3.40 542 100
Holstein Official 6,404 2,767,930 432 26,691 3.91 1,045 100 3.17 846 99
  Management 2,981 402,776 135 24,427 3.95 961 97 3.14 762 95
  All plans 9,385 3,170,706 338 26,404 3.92 1,034 99 3.16 836 98
Jersey Official 575 309,122 538 18,720 4.86 910 100 3.72 695 99
  Management 105 16,806 160 15,804 4.89 780 98 3.72 591 97
  All plans 680 325,928 479 18,570 4.86 904 100 3.72 690 99
Milking Shorthorn Official 14 515 37 15,028 3.68 554 100 3.14 472 100
  Management 2 121 60 13,525 3.64 493 100 3.06 414 100
  All plans 16 636 40 14,743 3.68 542 100 3.13 461 100
Multi-breeds /1 Official 1,101 387,108 352 22,517 4.17 939 100 3.33 751 100
  Management 444 79,666 179 20,775 4.08 845 93 3.29 681 93
  All plans 1,545 466,774 302 22,220 4.15 923 99 3.33 739 99
All breeds Official 8,279 3,477,965 420 25,486 4.00 1,020 100 3.22 821 99
  Management 3,545 499,859 141 23,543 3.99 937 96 3.17 743 95
  All plans 11,824 3,977,824 336 25,242 4.00 1,010 99 3.21 811 98 

1 If no breed has 75% or more of the cows, the herd is designated a multi-breed herd
 
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DHI Herd Averages 2021  
Table 3. 2021 Averages of DHI cow herds in official test plans by State

  Records Milk Fat Protein
State Herds Cow-years Cow-years per herd (lb) (%) (lb) % Reporting (%) (lb) % Reporting
Alabama 1 193 193 16,626 4.10 682 100 3.21 534 100
Arizona 10 40,230 4,023 23,647 3.80 899 100 3.22 761 100
Arkansas 8 1,193 149 15,504 3.90 605 100 3.23 501 100
California 534 859,668 1,610 24,673 4.00 986 100 3.30 816 98
Colorado 30 45,700 1,523 26,655 3.77 1005 100 3.14 838 100
Connecticut 42 9,351 223 24,061 4.20 1011 100 3.16 760 100
Delaware 13 2,135 164 22,664 4.06 920 100 3.21 729 100
Florida 13 21,251 1,635 25,349 3.46 888 91 3.11 790 83
Georgia 28 7,570 270 23,734 4.04 969 96 3.20 768 96
Idaho 90 167,054 1,856 25,562 3.97 1015 100 3.25 832 99
Illinois 208 40,276 194 25,417 4.00 1017 100 3.17 805 100
Indiana 128 51,004 398 26,540 3.99 1058 100 3.16 839 100
Iowa 324 101,072 312 25,897 4.13 1070 100 3.22 835 100
Kansas 72 25,210 350 26,523 3.77 1001 100 3.22 873 85
Kentucky 37 9,372 253 25,954 3.65 946 100 3.11 807 100
Louisiana 5 838 168 18,989 3.63 690 100 3.11 590 100
Maine 78 12,872 165 24,285 4.14 1006 100 3.20 778 100
Maryland 150 24,776 165 23,408 4.02 941 100 3.13 733 100
Massachusetts 46 3,636 79 21,571 4.09 883 100 3.19 688 100
Michigan 343 162,691 474 27,705 3.86 1070 99 3.12 864 98
Minnesota 835 203,644 244 25,246 4.07 1028 100 3.22 814 100
Mississippi 14 2,760 197 19,695 4.10 807 100 3.34 658 100
Missouri 93 10,779 116 20,456 3.93 804 100 3.23 660 100
Montana 11 2,754 250 25,343 3.74 949 100 3.10 751 70
Nebraska 38 24,507 645 23,683 3.99 944 100 3.24 766 100
Nevada 9 12,673 1,408 24,342 4.02 978 100 3.32 807 100
New Hampshire 55 7,575 138 23,170 4.29 993 100 3.22 745 100
New Jersey 30 2,975 99 21,961 3.86 847 100 3.09 679 100
New Mexico 12 52,456 4,371 24,741 3.81 943 100 3.26 806 100
New York 867 335,650 387 26,614 4.00 1065 100 3.15 839 100
North Carolina 54 17,917 332 25,444 4.07 1036 100 3.16 803 100
North Dakota 10 4,437 444 24,993 3.87 967 100 3.24 811 100
Ohio 335 67,805 202 25,830 4.05 1047 100 3.19 826 99
Oklahoma 21 2,761 131 17,177 3.80 652 100 3.24 557 100
Oregon 86 40,697 473 21,031 4.42 930 100 3.43 721 100
Pennsylvania 1,372 201,820 147 24,852 4.00 993 100 3.15 783 100
Rhode Island 4 210 53 22,709 4.15 942 100 3.21 728 100
South Carolina 17 3,670 216 19,675 4.08 802 100 3.28 646 100
South Dakota 30 26,199 873 25,408 4.04 1025 100 3.26 827 100
Tennessee 43 5,993 139 20,434 4.07 832 100 3.15 644 100
Texas 67 87,732 1,309 21,929 4.24 928 97 3.45 754 97
Utah 69 34,819 505 23,253 4.06 945 100 3.31 730 76
Vermont 162 41,547 256 25,217 4.04 1020 100 3.21 811 100
Virginia 131 32,281 246 25,168 3.88 978 97 3.09 777 97
Washington 70 75,265 1,075 24,427 4.04 987 100 3.24 792 99
West Virginia 8 876 109 17,785 4.04 719 100 3.27 582 100
Wisconsin 1,677 592,199 353 27,326 4.02 1097 100 3.17 866 100
United States 8,280 3,478,094 420 25,486 4.00 1020 100 3.22 821 99 

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DHI Herd Averages 2021  
Table 4. 2021 Averages of DHI cow herds in management test plans by State

  Records Milk Fat Protein
State Herds Cow-years Cow-years per herd (lb) (%) (lb) % Reporting (%) (lb) % Reporting
Alabama 4 552 138 17,657 3.50 618 100 3.11 550 100
Arizona 1 2,746 2,746 29,101 3.65 1063 100 0
Arkansas 3 521 174 14,472 4.01 580 100 3.23 467 100
California 16 18,327 1,145 25,057 3.84 963 100 3.20 809 96
Colorado 1 567 567 25,432 3.80 966 100 0
Connecticut 2 225 113 25,211 1.49 376 100 3.14 789 20
Delaware 1 25 25 10,732 5.61 602 100 3.76 403 100
Florida 10 9,065 907 21,676 3.35 700 71 3.16 636 63
Georgia 13 8,613 663 22,025 3.83 818 77 3.22 688 77
Idaho 3 3,747 1,249 25,190 4.00 1008 100 3.16 797 100
Illinois 24 2,313 96 22,824 4.00 912 100 3.13 714 100
Indiana 79 11,463 145 24,671 4.12 997 91 3.13 757 91
Iowa 76 18,749 247 24,482 4.11 1004 98 3.22 788 98
Kansas 26 3,765 145 20,069 3.57 717 100 3.42 657 87
Kentucky 159 17,546 110 22,625 3.65 824 99 3.06 694 98
Louisiana 15 2,525 168 15,389 3.66 563 100 3.13 481 100
Maine 2 342 171 20,798 4.47 929 100 3.09 642 100
Maryland 33 3,742 113 22,309 3.92 875 100 3.10 692 100
Massachusetts 10 563 56 18,293 4.20 768 100 3.19 584 100
Michigan 49 20,214 413 25,674 3.93 1018 97 3.14 813 97
Minnesota 151 19,933 132 24,510 4.21 1025 98 3.21 787 100
Mississippi 8 1,286 161 15,603 3.92 611 100 3.32 519 100
Missouri 73 8,648 118 17,906 3.86 692 100 3.23 578 100
Montana 3 292 97 23,081 3.59 828 100 3.06 707 100
Nebraska 17 3,930 231 22,450 3.91 845 79 3.20 690 79
New Hampshire 5 339 68 17,783 4.08 726 100 3.17 563 100
New Mexico 1 6,378 6,378 18,766 4.57 858 100 3.61 678 100
New York 221 19,023 86 22,431 4.08 913 99 3.12 699 99
North Carolina 21 6,649 317 22,775 4.00 915 97 3.25 719 84
North Dakota 6 4,013 669 27,188 3.89 1057 100 3.25 884 100
Ohio 177 37,171 210 24,169 4.00 968 95 3.21 776 95
Oklahoma 18 2,799 156 16,650 3.73 620 100 3.21 534 100
Oregon 5 1,439 288 15,116 4.05 695 80 3.27 562 80
Pennsylvania 1,350 95,729 71 24,031 3.95 949 99 3.10 745 99
South Carolina 1 1,116 1,116 16,845 3.92 661 100 3.18 536 100
South Dakota 21 17,807 848 22,284 4.36 972 100 3.43 764 100
Tennessee 3 868 289 24,039 3.78 908 100 2.99 719 100
Texas 17 20,909 1,230 20,705 3.68 766 91 3.17 661 91
Utah 7 1,566 224 23,508 4.24 997 100 3.18 672 49
Vermont 56 7,367 132 20,848 3.68 764 94 3.26 636 79
Virginia 57 9,023 158 23,347 3.80 880 94 3.11 720 94
Washington 5 3,119 624 23,001 4.16 958 100 3.30 758 100
West Virginia 2 248 124 25,244 3.95 998 100 3.15 796 100
Wisconsin 794 104,619 132 24,834 4.11 1012 96 3.15 775 96
United States 3,546 499,874 141 23,542 3.99 937 96 3.17 743 95 

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DHI Herd Averages - 2021 Percentile Thresholds  
Table 5. 2021 Percentile thresholds for herds with 25 cows or more in official test plans by breed and yield trait

Table 5A. Milk
Percentile Ayrshire Brown Swiss Guernsey Holstein Jersey Milking Shorthorn
99 20,925 30,302 27,326 32,709 23,908 17,636
90 20,409 24,370 19,435 29,534 20,477 17,636
80 19,371 23,118 18,008 28,016 19,467 17,636
70 18,017 21,288 17,320 26,838 18,711 16,570
60 17,220 20,379 16,299 25,787 18,033 16,365
50 15,666 19,118 15,763 24,760 17,094 15,259
40 14,633 18,597 15,054 23,740 16,237 15,259
30 13,522 18,009 14,515 22,538 15,007 12,186
20 12,632 16,530 13,165 20,917 13,687 12,153
10 11,893 13,716 10,833 18,594 12,015 9,204
0 9,000 7,352 8,927 6,518 4,723 9,204
Number of Herds 25 87 40 6,306 536 7

 

 
Table 5B. Fat
Percentile Ayrshire Brown Swiss Guernsey Holstein Jersey Milking Shorthorn
99 987 1,264 1,328 1,336 1,188 660
90 862 1,045 927 1,177 1,013 660
80 785 964 861 1,112 957 660
70 741 901 789 1,057 921 649
60 654 864 762 1,013 880 642
50 628 808 733 969 829 554
40 567 791 727 928 779 554
30 541 734 685 881 725 431
20 489 696 625 818 665 399
10 446 535 489 726 570 364
0 407 311 340 258 237 364
Number of Herds 25 87 40 6,306 536 7

 

 
Table 5C. Protein
Percentile Ayrshire Brown Swiss Guernsey Holstein Jersey Milking Shorthorn
99 663 1,028 922 1,032 856 553
90 654 828 677 929 759 553
80 615 785 621 882 724 553
70 592 736 590 846 692 512
60 546 702 555 813 661 504
50 504 669 531 780 629 489
40 465 635 518 748 597 489
30 417 610 500 709 551 392
20 410 571 446 661 504 382
10 375 466 374 584 438 285
0 280 251 292 200 167 285
Number of Herds 25 87 40 6,306 536 7 

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2021 DHI Goat Herd Averages  
Table 6. 2021 Averages of DHI goat herds by State

  Records Milk Fat Protein
State Herds Doe-years Doe-years per herd (lb) (%) (lb) (%) (lb) % Reporting
Alabama 2 12 6 1,065 4.83 51 3.46 37 100
Arizona 13 139 11 1,137 6.00 68 3.90 55 65
Arkansas 3 41 14 1,415 3.96 56 2.99 42 100
California 66 5,551 85 2,231 3.71 83 3.20 73 98
Colorado 7 138 20 1,984 3.76 75 3.19 63 100
Connecticut 7 67 10 1,578 4.13 65 3.31 52 100
Delaware 1 5 5 510 4.71 24 3.14 16 100
Florida 12 108 9 1,401 3.89 55 3.17 48 86
Georgia 9 109 12 1,722 3.74 64 3.13 54 100
Idaho 17 262 16 1,552 4.37 68 3.45 59 88
Illinois 9 468 52 1,949 3.69 72 3.07 60 100
Indiana 6 123 21 1,979 3.95 78 2.99 59 100
Iowa 9 515 57 2,688 3.16 85 2.86 78 99
Kansas 10 186 19 1,611 3.81 61 3.39 55 100
Kentucky 6 136 23 1,251 3.98 50 3.38 42 100
Louisiana 3 22 7 471 5.54 26 3.91 22 64
Maine 13 175 14 1,029 4.92 51 3.49 37 74
Maryland 14 429 31 1,772 3.73 66 3.15 64 82
Massachusetts 5 141 28 893 4.78 43 3.60 32 100
Michigan 11 108 10 1,617 4.21 68 3.15 51 100
Minnesota 17 1,415 84 2,377 3.60 86 2.98 71 100
Mississippi 3 18 6 1,787 3.94 70 3.58 64 100
Missouri 5 64 13 1,881 4.10 77 3.44 65 100
Montana 8 72 9 1,052 5.27 55 3.84 48 36
Nebraska 1 8 8 2,080 2.79 58 2.98 62 100
Nevada 1 2 2 419 0
New Hampshire 5 40 8 1,315 4.42 58 3.48 48 85
New Jersey 3 31 10 1,059 4.84 51 3.23 47 45
New Mexico 3 33 11 929 4.58 43 3.73 38 83
New York 17 494 29 1,535 3.76 58 3.20 50 96
North Carolina 21 213 10 1,759 3.63 64 3.16 58 93
Ohio 22 266 12 1,330 4.33 58 3.33 47 85
Oklahoma 5 36 7 1,153 4.98 57 3.70 43 100
Oregon 56 695 12 1,388 4.53 63 3.31 54 70
Pennsylvania 23 817 36 1,786 3.59 64 3.03 55 96
South Carolina 2 21 10 549 5.21 29 3.15 27 19
Tennessee 18 255 14 1,138 4.64 53 3.39 39 100
Texas 26 317 12 1,233 4.63 57 3.55 46 91
Utah 11 302 28 1,450 5.19 75 3.99 66 79
Vermont 10 721 73 1,724 3.75 65 3.07 63 72
Virginia 14 165 12 1,070 3.90 42 3.36 36 98
Washington 51 586 11 1,119 5.60 63 3.67 55 58
West Virginia 3 27 9 1,416 4.11 58 3.39 48 100
Wisconsin 27 3,305 123 2,301 3.50 81 2.91 67 100
Wyoming 17 191 11 1,433 4.56 65 3.46 53 90
United States 588 18,826 32 1,955 3.80 74 3.13 64 93 

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2021 DHI Goat Herd Averages  
Table 7. 2021 Averages of DHI goat herds by breed

  Records Milk Fat Protein
Breed Herds Doe-years (lb) (lb) Herds Doe-years (lb)
Alpine 52 1,730 2,473 85 52 1,730 72
Experimental 5 102 1,329 59 5 102 47
LaMancha 45 477 1,971 78 44 468 65
Miniature Goat 2 5 1,459 60 2 5 50
Multi-breeds /1 146 12,109 2,173 78 141 11,870 68
Nigerian Dwarf 220 2,569 663 40 133 1,564 29
Nubian 73 1,022 1,484 71 68 972 56
Oberhasli 10 93 1,428 60 10 93 49
Saanen 24 621 2,522 92 23 615 75
Sable 3 21 1,885 78 3 21 69
Toggenburg 9 79 2,086 76 8 73 65
All Breeds 588 18,826 1,955 74 489 17,513 64 

1 If no breed has 75% or more of the goats, the herd is designated a multi-breed herd
 
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We wish to acknowledge the contribution of the dairy producers who supplied data for this report through their participation in the DHI program and the Dairy Records Processing Centers that processed and relayed the information on to the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB).