USDA Summary of 1998 Herd Averages

G.R. Wiggans
Agricultural Research Service - USDA
Beltsville, Maryland

Table 1. Averages of DHI cow herds by herd size, 1998.

  Fat Protein
Herd size (cow-years per herd) Herds Cow-years Milk (lb)
 Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb) Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb)
5- 24 1,411 23,535 16,151 100 3.99 643 100 3.34 539
25- 49 9,487 374,007 18,286 100 3.78 691 99 3.21 588
50- 74 10,075 612,171 19,133 99 3.75 718 99 3.21 614
75- 99 5,218 446,655 19,442 98 3.73 727 98 3.22 627
100- 149 4,438 532,374 19,495 96 3.71 728 96 3.22 631
150- 199 1,726 295,497 19,526 94 3.71 733 93 3.23 636
200- 299 1,458 350,813 19,705 92 3.69 740 91 3.23 645
300- 399 649 223,545 20,423 91 3.66 760 85 3.22 673
400- 499 368 163,611 20,625 90 3.64 768 82 3.22 680
500- 749 521 314,498 20,723 91 3.63 762 81 3.23 682
750- 999 259 223,737 21,312 91 3.60 779 77 3.21 700
1,000-1,499 250 301,917 21,346 94 3.60 774 78 3.22 690
1,500-1,999 98 168,362 21,482 97 3.59 778 82 3.24 699
2,000-2,999 55 127,543 21,880 91 3.57 794 71 3.17 701
3,000-3,999 21 71,335 22,657 96 3.58 808 83 3.15 718
4,000+ 5 26,127 20,219 100 3.57 723 82 3.23 643
All Herds 36,038 4,255,727 19,949 95 3.69 740 90 3.22 644

Table 2. Averages of DHI cow herds by breed and category of testing plan, 1998.

  Fat Protein
Breed Category of test plan Herds Cow-years Cow-years per herd Milk (lb) Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb) Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb)
AYRSHIRE Official 184 8,527 46 15,288 99 3.89 594 99 3.33 509
  Management 16 718 46 12,785 100 3.91 501 100 3.29 420
  All plans 199 9,245 46 15,094 100 3.89 587 100 3.32 502
BROWN SWISS Official 327 16,128 49 16,835 99 4.04 683 100 3.54 597
  Management 26 935 36 14,396 100 4.21 606 100 3.52 507
  All plans 352 17,063 48 16,701 99 4.04 679 100 3.54 592
GUERNSEY Official 258 11,873 46 14,286 100 4.49 642 99 3.54 506
  Management 68 2,702 40 13,118 100 4.47 587 99 3.48 456
  All plans 326 14,575 45 14,070 100 4.49 632 99 3.53 497
HOLSTEIN Official 23,317 3,199,570 137 20,610 97 3.63 752 92 3.20 661
  Management 8,812 754,029 86 19,080 88 3.76 725 82 3.20 616
  All plans 32,129 3,953,599 123 20,318 95 3.65 747 90 3.20 653
JERSEY Official 1,265 137,441 109 14,423 99 4.65 672 99 3.74 540
  Management 187 11,710 63 12,541 94 4.64 587 92 3.75 475
  All plans 1,452 149,151 103 14,275 99 4.65 666 98 3.74 535
MILKING SHORTHORN Official 47 2,361 50 13,826 100 3.54 489 100 3.28 453
  Management 8 336 43 14,657 100 4.02 589 100 3.29 482
  All plans 55 2,697 49 13,930 100 3.60 501 100 3.28 457
RED AND WHITE Official 34 1,914 55 19,967 100 3.69 736 100 3.17 634
  Management 6 288 48 17,179 100 3.71 638 100 3.20 549
  All plans 40 2,202 54 19,602 100 3.69 723 100 3.18 623
MIXED Official 1,128 78,963 70 16,347 97 3.84 634 97 3.31 544
  Management 356 28,232 79 15,584 88 3.95 629 82 3.35 530
  All plans 1,484 107,195 72 16,146 95 3.87 633 93 3.32 541
All breeds Official 26,561 3,456,777 130 20,209 97 3.67 745 92 3.22 651
  Management 9,477 798,950 84 18,827 88 3.78 719 83 3.21 609
  All plans 36,038 4,255,727 118 19,949 95 3.69 740 90 3.22 644

Table 3. Averages of official DHI cow herds by state, 1998.

  Fat Protein
State Herds Cow-years Cow-years per herd Milk (lb) Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb) Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb)
Alabama 70 12,023 172 16,171 87 3.69 600 88 3.27 532
Alaska . . . . . . . . . .
Arizona 56 66,879 1,196 21,202 100 3.53 749 96 3.15 669
Arkansas 75 7,489 99 15,999 99 3.57 573 99 3.26 523
California 1,027 735,171 716 21,074 100 3.65 770 77 3.26 685
Colorado 71 29,539 417 23,702 100 3.55 841 98 3.18 756
Connecticut 123 15,056 123 21,497 98 3.63 786 98 3.16 684
Delaware 32 4,429 139 20,928 100 3.78 790 100 3.20 670
Florida 68 33,293 490 17,934 35 3.43 661 35 3.15 607
Georgia 191 46,584 243 17,868 64 3.48 636 57 3.21 580
Hawaii 1 301 302 15,855 100 3.42 543 0 . .
Idaho 219 63,319 289 21,353 100 3.59 766 100 3.29 702
Illinois 655 53,599 82 19,098 100 3.69 705 100 3.22 615
Indiana 485 40,945 84 19,399 99 3.69 717 99 3.24 630
Iowa 1,272 98,989 78 19,316 100 3.71 716 100 3.22 622
Kansas 326 31,959 98 19,146 90 3.66 680 90 3.22 599
Kentucky 275 23,491 85 16,623 96 3.65 609 96 3.28 547
Louisiana 144 19,231 133 14,690 72 3.52 529 72 3.26 490
Maine 165 14,004 85 20,247 95 3.74 751 95 3.24 650
Maryland 450 40,646 90 19,993 100 3.83 765 100 3.23 646
Massachusetts 133 10,954 82 20,018 100 3.82 765 100 3.24 649
Michigan 994 122,487 123 21,331 94 3.80 807 95 3.22 687
Minnesota 3,299 267,135 81 19,802 100 3.73 738 100 3.21 635
Mississippi 74 13,178 179 17,136 96 3.63 626 96 3.25 560
Missouri 460 39,754 86 17,069 99 3.65 622 99 3.26 556
Montana 59 7,339 125 20,186 100 3.53 712 100 3.19 643
Nebraska 266 29,662 111 19,343 100 3.69 714 100 3.23 625
Nevada 21 9,795 467 19,770 100 3.76 744 98 3.32 657
New Hampshire 110 10,264 93 21,648 100 3.76 815 100 3.23 699
New Jersey 95 8,295 87 19,917 100 3.83 763 100 3.22 641
New Mexico 31 38,085 1,232 21,767 97 3.46 749 91 3.16 683
New York 2,566 286,081 111 20,423 98 3.69 755 98 3.17 647
North Carolina 237 36,597 154 19,340 93 3.65 707 93 3.17 615
North Dakota 73 6,800 93 17,990 97 3.56 644 99 3.19 576
Ohio 992 85,867 87 19,991 100 3.73 745 100 3.25 651
Oklahoma 131 14,496 111 17,052 100 3.43 585 100 3.22 549
Oregon 245 46,979 191 21,138 100 3.73 789 100 3.30 697
Pennsylvania 3,851 274,447 71 20,351 100 3.66 744 100 3.19 650
Puerto Rico 167 41,272 246 9,724 61 3.03 283 83 3.19 308
Rhode Island 7 479 69 21,266 100 3.74 794 100 3.16 672
South Carolina 88 16,524 188 17,432 100 3.85 671 100 3.28 571
South Dakota 194 17,960 93 18,381 100 3.70 681 100 3.21 591
Tennessee 296 35,120 119 17,332 94 3.61 626 94 3.23 559
Texas 293 104,185 355 19,699 83 3.57 717 81 3.24 649
Utah 216 39,145 181 20,906 100 3.57 747 100 3.21 672
Vermont 500 49,065 98 19,825 95 3.76 748 95 3.22 641
Virginia 522 67,046 128 19,481 99 3.60 703 99 3.19 621
Washington 264 66,833 253 23,151 100 3.60 834 99 3.20 742
West Virginia 76 8,182 107 18,485 100 3.59 664 100 3.24 599
Wisconsin 4,595 365,131 79 21,211 100 3.70 785 100 3.21 680
Wyoming 2 673 338 20,097 100 3.62 727 100 3.25 653
United States 26,561 3,456,777 130 20,209 97 3.67 745 92 3.22 651

Table 4. Averages of management DHI cow herds by state, 1998.

  Fat Protein
State Herds Cow-years Cow-years per herd Milk (lb) Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb) Cow-years
(%)		 (%) (lb)
Alabama 3 284 95 15,607 100 3.70 577 30 3.20 583
Alaska 1 84 84 19,210 100 3.83 735 100 3.73 716
Arizona 1 1,953 1,953 14,815 100 3.91 579 100 3.48 515
Arkansas 19 1,789 95 13,858 82 3.63 472 82 3.29 428
California 114 79,280 697 19,132 98 3.61 689 66 3.27 634
Colorado 19 8,037 424 22,494 100 3.54 796 86 3.18 716
Connecticut 4 352 88 20,956 100 3.88 813 100 3.15 661
Delaware 3 88 30 21,787 100 3.61 786 100 3.10 676
Florida 49 30,103 615 16,165 6 3.52 729 6 3.09 639
Georgia 51 11,450 225 16,608 6 3.25 467 6 3.20 459
Hawaii 6 2,643 441 19,037 100 3.42 650 0 . .
Idaho 32 9,724 305 21,998 100 3.46 762 100 3.21 707
Illinois 127 7,387 58 17,764 95 3.82 678 95 3.17 563
Indiana 106 8,121 77 19,076 85 3.62 687 84 3.21 610
Iowa 304 18,912 62 17,585 98 3.83 672 97 3.22 565
Kansas 47 3,753 79 18,287 99 3.57 655 100 3.22 589
Kentucky 51 4,041 80 17,741 66 3.50 616 62 3.20 561
Louisiana 11 1,546 141 13,505 0 . . 0 . .
Maine 13 1,805 140 21,811 25 4.07 664 25 3.24 530
Maryland 21 1,406 68 19,545 100 3.66 716 95 3.21 623
Massachusetts 7 996 143 22,671 100 3.28 744 100 3.00 680
Michigan 240 18,500 77 19,477 74 4.17 806 76 3.24 628
Minnesota 1,010 66,118 65 18,417 99 3.93 722 97 3.21 589
Mississippi 21 2,511 120 15,321 66 3.50 542 63 3.21 496
Missouri 110 8,738 79 15,871 94 3.58 570 94 3.22 511
Montana 6 758 127 18,862 100 3.27 617 100 3.24 611
Nebraska 34 3,853 114 19,399 98 3.64 708 100 3.22 624
Nevada 1 185 185 14,665 100 3.54 519 0 . .
New Hampshire 8 418 53 17,381 100 3.98 693 100 3.34 580
New Jersey 2 137 69 18,830 100 4.14 779 100 3.22 606
New Mexico . . . . . . . . . .
New York 433 39,951 92 18,787 78 3.80 707 72 3.15 582
North Carolina 39 8,361 215 18,689 43 3.63 687 33 3.19 598
North Dakota 23 1,872 82 16,981 81 3.52 608 81 3.18 550
Ohio 315 24,114 77 18,689 100 3.75 700 99 3.25 606
Oklahoma 25 4,891 197 16,723 55 3.42 548 55 3.23 518
Oregon 21 3,943 189 17,762 100 3.63 646 100 3.28 583
Pennsylvania 999 51,733 52 19,765 96 3.64 718 96 3.15 622
Puerto Rico 1 476 476 8,254 100 2.67 220 100 3.19 263
Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . .
South Carolina 9 2,275 254 17,391 26 3.79 595 26 3.22 506
South Dakota 147 12,484 85 17,611 87 3.81 672 86 3.18 562
Tennessee 23 3,044 133 16,181 75 3.61 569 52 3.19 509
Texas 71 28,489 402 17,820 43 3.66 672 27 3.30 525
Utah 52 10,559 204 18,499 100 3.56 658 97 3.22 597
Vermont 77 6,971 90 18,546 77 3.94 728 77 3.22 596
Virginia 59 6,647 113 18,449 71 3.46 654 64 3.16 593
Washington 35 10,514 302 22,304 100 3.52 785 70 3.25 730
West Virginia 3 255 86 15,597 100 3.72 580 100 3.30 514
Wisconsin 4,724 286,773 61 19,269 100 3.88 747 100 3.20 617
Wyoming 3 626 209 20,110 100 3.36 676 100 3.19 642
United States 9,477 798,950 84 18,827 88 3.78 719 83 3.21 609

Table 5. Percentile thresholds for herds with 25 or more cows and enrolled in an official test plan by breed and yield trait, 1998.

Trait Percentile Ayrshire Brown Swiss Guernsey Holstein Jersey Milking Shorthorn Red and White
Milk (lb) 90 18,341 21,405 17,536 24,119 17,007 19,521 23,804
  80 17,025 19,647 16,195 22,658 15,968 16,641 21,739
  70 16,387 18,209 15,294 21,617 15,315 15,116 20,505
  60 15,779 17,256 14,610 20,754 14,722 14,049 19,676
  50 15,049 16,650 13,980 19,972 14,064 13,853 19,368
  40 14,495 15,763 13,292 19,128 13,424 13,639 18,743
  30 13,648 15,117 12,751 18,189 12,780 12,543 18,230
  20 12,963 14,098 11,991 17,067 11,927 12,147 17,362
  10 12,061 13,159 11,308 15,500 10,920 11,229 17,078
  0 10,102 7,011 6,107 4,134 6,576 9,484 15,633
Fat (lb) 90 715 882 771 887 796 647 861
  80 661 795 728 832 750 615 799
  70 635 740 693 794 714 558 752
  60 613 705 659 761 682 513 732
  50 587 674 631 730 651 503 706
  40 558 641 606 699 623 485 689
  30 528 604 572 667 594 468 665
  20 499 569 537 626 552 406 650
  10 473 513 500 565 493 378 618
  0 394 194 314 122 309 314 563
Protein (lb) 90 604 757 615 770 634 625 752
  80 579 696 572 724 597 543 668
  70 553 654 541 691 575 504 637
  60 522 615 517 664 552 461 621
  50 502 588 495 638 526 454 616
  40 483 565 478 612 499 439 598
  30 453 542 449 583 479 413 568
  20 429 502 423 548 449 386 556
  10 392 463 398 497 405 356 539
  0 325 252 218 128 244 306 493
  Number of Herds 125 239 183 22,791 1,065 34 30

Table 6. Averages of official DHI goat herds by state, 1998.

  Fat Protein
State Herds Doe-years Doe-years per
herd		 Milk (lb) (%) (lb) Doe-years (%) (%) (lb)
Alabama 1 8 9 2,795 3.65 102 100 2.86 80
Alaska . . . . . . . . .
Arizona 6 84 13 1,921 3.48 67 100 3.27 63
Arkansas 2 76 39 1,799 3.32 60 100 2.93 53
California 45 1,781 40 1,945 3.50 68 97 3.16 62
Colorado 10 207 22 1,670 3.77 63 98 3.35 56
Connecticut 2 24 13 2,288 3.50 80 100 3.02 69
Delaware . . . . . . . . .
Florida 2 29 16 1,159 3.94 46 100 3.26 38
Georgia 3 34 12 1,565 3.09 48 53 2.82 47
Hawaii . . . . . . . . .
Idaho 13 226 17 1,912 3.72 71 89 3.20 62
Illinois 8 220 28 1,779 3.47 62 100 3.12 56
Indiana 9 342 39 1,564 3.74 59 100 3.11 49
Iowa 11 726 67 1,830 3.69 68 100 3.22 59
Kansas 13 149 12 1,648 3.69 61 95 3.18 53
Kentucky 1 6 6 2,692 3.86 104 100 2.79 75
Louisiana . . . . . . . . .
Maine 8 143 17 1,724 3.45 59 100 3.01 52
Maryland 26 362 14 1,744 3.65 64 94 3.10 55
Massachusetts 5 183 38 1,031 4.05 42 100 3.11 32
Michigan 17 133 8 1,850 3.76 70 98 3.12 58
Minnesota 14 649 45 2,101 3.43 72 100 3.18 67
Mississippi 1 25 26 1,305 4.52 59 100 3.07 40
Missouri 2 20 11 2,493 3.89 97 100 3.37 84
Montana 2 27 14 1,088 3.70 40 70 3.67 30
Nebraska 2 58 29 1,783 3.79 68 100 3.14 56
Nevada 2 42 22 1,617 4.59 74 93 3.65 59
New Hampshire 14 413 29 1,357 3.85 52 100 3.18 43
New Jersey 10 87 8 1,269 4.26 54 72 3.20 45
New Mexico . . . . . . . . .
New York 27 1,043 38 2,056 3.55 73 100 3.13 64
North Carolina 4 51 13 1,554 2.96 46 100 2.92 45
North Dakota . . . . . . . . .
Ohio 37 1,123 31 1,671 3.72 62 98 3.20 53
Oklahoma 1 45 45 2,458 5.57 137 100 3.13 77
Oregon 60 934 16 1,621 3.69 60 97 3.22 52
Pennsylvania 21 551 26 2,037 3.77 77 99 3.27 66
Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . .
Rhode Island 1 6 7 994 3.72 37 100 3.02 30
South Carolina 1 25 26 1,801 4.39 79 100 3.33 60
South Dakota . . . . . . . . .
Tennessee 2 21 11 1,585 4.29 68 100 3.39 54
Texas 12 252 20 1,344 3.70 50 100 3.11 42
Utah 7 169 25 1,842 3.48 64 87 2.98 55
Vermont 3 165 56 1,714 4.07 70 100 3.15 54
Virginia 8 267 35 1,229 3.38 42 100 2.97 37
Washington 8 113 15 1,745 3.98 69 80 3.28 60
West Virginia 8 72 10 1,856 3.57 66 89 3.07 57
Wisconsin 48 1,312 27 1,742 3.59 63 100 3.14 55
Wyoming 7 53 7 1,819 4.11 75 83 3.69 63
United States 483 12,256 25 1,775 3.64 65 98 3.17 56

Table 7. Averages of DHI goat herds by breed, 1998.

  Protein
Breed Does Herds Milk (lb) Fat (lb) Does Herds (lb)
Alpine 2,499 83 2,031 72 2,458 79 63
Experimental 28 4 901 41 28 4 32
LaMancha 471 27 1,699 67 461 26 56
Mixed Breed 6,551 185 1,696 61 6,436 173 54
Nubian 1,134 97 1,567 69 1,083 87 56
Oberhasli 164 13 1,605 57 127 10 48
Saanen 1,048 50 1,899 67 1,020 45 58
Toggenburg 361 24 1,968 63 361 24 58
All Breeds 12,256 483 1,775 65 11,974 448 56