USDA Summary of 1996 Herd Averages

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

Table 1. Averages of NCDHIP cow herds by herd size, 1996.

Herd size
(cow-years
per herd)1
Herds Cow-years Milk
(lb)
Cow-years
with fat
data
(%)
Fat
(%)
Fat
(lb)
Cow-years
with pro-
tein data
(%)
Pro-
tein
(%)
Pro-
tein
(lb)
5-24 1,679 27,672 15,415 100 4.02 620 99 3.35 516
25-49 10,952 430,797 17,297 100 3.84 664 99 3.23 559
50-74 11,542 700,583 18,158 99 3.80 691 99 3.23 587
75-99 5,782 493,408 18,433 98 3.78 698 98 3.24 598
100-149 4,712 563,671 18,521 96 3.76 700 96 3.24 604
150-199 1,754 300,419 18,483 93 3.75 700 93 3.25 608
200-299 1,369 329,434 18,795 92 3.71 708 89 3.24 617
300-399 574 197,526 19,356 89 3.67 730 83 3.23 641
400-499 326 145,850 19,911 92 3.64 736 79 3.22 657
500-749 432 263,722 20,256 90 3.64 749 75 3.23 671
750-999 257 223,639 20,173 90 3.57 730 65 3.20 667
1,000-1,49 212 256,459 20,430 94 3.61 747 64 3.21 668
1,500-1,99 85 144,147 20,910 95 3.55 747 55 3.16 669
2,000-2,99 39 91,499 21,472 97 3.55 763 75 3.14 686
3,000-3,99 15 50,036 21,344 100 3.58 764 61 3.18 697
4,000+ 4 20,030 20,765 100 3.57 740 76 3.14 645
All herds 39,734 4,238,891 18,911 95 3.72 708 88 3.23 612

1Herds with fewer than 5 cow-years not included in computing herd averages.

Table 2. Averages of NCDHIP cows herds by breed and category of test plan, 1996.

Category of
test plan
Herds Cow-
years
Cow-
years
per
herd
Milk
(lb)
Cow-years
with fat
data
(%)
Fat
(%)
Fat
(lb)
Cow-years
with pro-
tein data
(%)
Pro-
tein
(%)
Pro-
tein
(lb)
Ayrshire
Official 206 9,532 46 14,365 98 3.93 566 98 3.37 485
Management 20 647 32 10,608 100 4.11 436 100 3.39 360
All plans 226 10,179 45 14,127 98 3.94 557 98 3.37 477
Brown Swiss
Official 382 17,909 47 15,615 98 4.07 638 100 3.58 558
Management 28 985 35 14,196 100 4.12 585 100 3.56 506
All plans 410 18,894 46 15,541 99 4.07 635 100 3.58 556
Guernsey
Official 322 15,011 47 13,456 100 4.54 611 99 3.57 481
Management 88 3,219 37 13,447 100 4.48 602 99 3.50 470
All plans 410 18,230 44 13,455 100 4.53 609 99 3.56 479
Holstein
Official 25,317 3,148,445 124 19,569 97 3.66 720 89 3.21 629
Management 10,292 801,871 78 17,983 89 3.82 691 81 3.21 580
All plans 35,609 3,950,316 111 19,247 95 3.69 714 87 3.21 620
Jersey
Official 1,356 130,652 96 13,695 100 4.69 643 99 3.77 517
Management 193 10,779 56 11,816 87 4.80 563 84 3.73 438
All plans 1,549 141,432 91 13,552 99 4.70 637 98 3.77 512
Milking Shorthorn
Official 54 2,596 48 14,040 100 3.56 500 100 3.30 464
Management 9 259 29 12,464 100 4.02 501 100 3.30 411
All plans 63 2,854 45 13,897 100 3.60 500 100 3.30 459
Red and White
Official 45 2,551 57 18,441 100 3.72 686 100 3.20 590
Management 10 645 64 14,336 72 3.89 613 67 3.19 494
All plans 55 3,195 58 17,613 94 3.75 675 93 3.20 576
Mixed breeds
Official 1,037 68,620 66 15,479 96 3.87 602 97 3.32 515
Management 375 25,170 67 14,803 85 4.05 613 82 3.33 507
All plans 1,412 93,790 66 15,298 93 3.91 605 93 3.32 513
All breeds
Official 28,719 3,395,316 118 19,192 97 3.70 713 90 3.23 620
Management 11,015 843,575 77 17,778 89 3.83 686 81 3.22 575
All plans 39,734 4,238,891 107 18,911 95 3.72 708 88 3.23 612

Table 3. Averages of official NCDHIP cow herds by state, 1996.

State1 Herds Cow-
years
Cow-
years
per
herd
Milk
(lb)
Cow-years
with fat
data
(%)
Fat
(%)
Fat
(lb)
Cow-years
with pro-
tein data
(%)
Pro-
tein
(%)
Pro-
tein
(lb)
Alabama 77 13,080 170 15,562 84 3.64 577 85 3.28 518
Alaska 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Arizona 52 51,058 982 21,204 100 3.61 766 97 3.17 674
Arkansas 71 6,990 98 15,389 100 3.51 540 100 3.25 500
California 1,035 710,903 687 20,328 100 3.65 741 64 3.23 661
Colorado 84 29,790 355 22,681 100 3.53 801 98 3.19 725
Connecticut 129 14,891 115 20,184 96 3.63 740 96 3.19 652
Delaware 32 4,425 138 19,636 100 3.69 725 100 3.22 632
Florida 72 35,940 499 17,707 31 3.52 660 31 3.19 598
Georgia 202 46,742 231 17,522 76 3.57 639 66 3.22 568
Hawaii 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Idaho 245 52,247 213 20,194 100 3.65 736 98 3.27 659
Illinois 738 56,054 76 18,179 100 3.76 683 100 3.27 594
Indiana 546 44,363 81 18,182 100 3.72 676 100 3.29 599
Iowa 1,364 93,579 69 18,405 100 3.77 693 100 3.25 599
Kansas 364 33,097 91 18,610 100 3.65 680 100 3.24 603
Kentucky 303 25,912 86 15,924 93 3.63 579 93 3.30 526
Louisiana 171 21,927 128 14,187 79 3.51 505 80 3.27 470
Maine 169 13,612 81 19,016 100 3.70 704 99 3.23 616
Maryland 474 42,216 89 18,365 100 3.82 702 100 3.25 597
Massachusetts 137 10,821 79 18,820 99 3.82 717 99 3.26 612
Michigan 1,100 118,882 108 20,115 97 3.89 785 97 3.23 650
Minnesota 3,514 261,178 74 18,677 100 3.80 710 100 3.22 602
Mississippi 98 15,747 161 16,705 94 3.60 602 94 3.28 549
Missouri 515 44,016 85 16,410 98 3.64 598 98 3.26 536
Montana 61 7,375 121 19,452 100 3.50 681 100 3.21 625
Nebraska 309 30,024 97 18,424 100 3.68 677 100 3.25 599
Nevada 24 8,359 348 20,261 100 3.73 757 95 3.21 656
New Hampshire 119 10,405 87 20,143 100 3.79 763 100 3.26 657
New Jersey 113 9,481 84 18,157 100 3.71 674 100 3.24 587
New Mexico 31 30,205 974 21,201 97 3.45 729 91 3.13 664
New York 2,703 272,679 101 19,727 98 3.69 728 98 3.18 628
North Carolina 265 42,332 160 18,047 89 3.63 658 89 3.20 580
North Dakota 81 7,147 88 17,805 100 3.54 631 100 3.22 574
Ohio 1,104 87,631 79 18,502 100 3.79 701 100 3.30 610
Oklahoma 123 11,100 90 16,801 100 3.48 584 100 3.24 544
Oregon 247 46,927 190 20,316 100 3.78 769 99 3.33 675
Pennsylvania 4,214 285,800 68 18,689 100 3.73 696 100 3.22 601
Puerto Rico 165 35,304 214 10,409 57 3.04 304 89 3.22 336
Rhode Island 6 427 71 18,839 100 3.73 703 100 3.22 606
South Carolina 96 17,464 182 16,717 100 3.87 647 100 3.33 557
South Dakota 222 19,111 86 17,595 100 3.74 659 100 3.23 568
Tennessee 320 37,974 119 16,770 95 3.68 617 95 3.27 549
Texas 343 106,108 309 18,779 83 3.55 674 83 3.21 610
Utah 225 37,588 167 20,242 100 3.56 721 100 3.22 652
Vermont 523 48,673 93 18,983 95 3.80 723 95 3.24 616
Virgin Islands 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Virginia 544 67,726 124 18,082 99 3.59 651 99 3.22 583
Washington 295 67,927 230 22,212 100 3.61 802 100 3.25 722
West Virginia 84 8,906 106 16,601 100 3.68 611 100 3.26 541
Wisconsin 5,006 350,809 70 19,664 100 3.78 744 100 3.24 637
Wyoming 4 369 92 20,307 100 3.46 703 100 3.22 654
United States1 28,719 3,395,316 118 19,192 97 3.70 713 90 3.23 620

1Includes Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Table 4. Averages of management NCDHIP cow herds by state, 1996.

State1 Herds Cow-
years
Cow-
years
per
herd
Milk
(lb)
Cow-years
with fat
data
(%)
Fat
(%)
Fat
(lb)
Cow-years
with pro-
tein data
(%)
Pro-
tein
(%)
Pro-
tein
(lb)
Alabama 5 587 117 14,980 56 3.79 532 22 3.30 449
Alaska 2 144 72 20,438 100 3.64 744 100 3.43 702
Arizona 3 3,636 1,212 18,396 53 3.44 714 0 -- --
Arkansas 16 1,346 84 13,398 74 3.36 467 74 3.20 445
California 111 75,534 680 18,309 98 3.65 667 43 3.23 594
Colorado 20 5,950 298 21,174 86 3.62 765 80 3.24 676
Connecticut 5 340 68 19,686 100 3.84 756 100 3.17 624
Delaware 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Florida 45 26,315 585 16,028 1 3.38 496 1 3.12 458
Georgia 53 11,122 210 15,554 7 3.50 536 7 3.22 494
Hawaii 6 2,530 422 16,764 100 3.43 575 0 -- --
Idaho 29 7,013 242 19,421 98 3.35 648 100 3.25 631
Illinois 129 7,199 56 17,060 100 3.89 664 100 3.23 552
Indiana 94 7,282 77 17,776 81 3.70 665 81 3.25 585
Iowa 310 17,571 57 16,916 100 3.83 648 100 3.25 549
Kansas 38 2,445 64 17,259 96 3.56 619 100 3.24 559
Kentucky 42 3,019 72 16,036 61 3.48 544 53 3.22 501
Louisiana 15 2,038 136 13,342 0 -- -- 0 -- --
Maine 10 1,465 147 19,870 40 3.95 691 40 3.24 566
Maryland 27 1,491 55 17,203 100 3.76 647 96 3.25 553
Massachusetts 9 972 108 20,515 100 3.50 719 100 3.19 655
Michigan 279 20,494 73 18,454 80 4.15 755 80 3.23 589
Minnesota 1,157 72,853 63 17,315 100 3.92 678 99 3.21 556
Mississippi 8 967 121 13,854 58 3.72 581 51 3.22 502
Missouri 99 8,160 82 15,191 92 3.57 539 92 3.23 488
Montana 6 701 117 17,116 100 3.44 588 100 3.36 576
Nebraska 25 1,998 80 17,225 97 3.64 630 100 3.25 560
Nevada 2 382 191 15,272 100 3.72 568 100 3.20 488
New Hampshire 5 209 42 17,610 100 3.82 672 100 3.22 567
New Jersey 3 179 60 15,532 100 4.11 638 100 3.22 500
New Mexico 6 5,869 978 18,474 74 3.44 659 0 -- --
New York 486 38,824 80 17,968 76 3.80 674 75 3.16 560
North Carolina 32 6,416 201 17,373 33 3.56 596 22 3.19 506
North Dakota 26 1,670 64 15,836 100 3.59 569 100 3.25 514
Ohio 398 27,427 69 17,396 100 3.77 655 99 3.26 568
Oklahoma 8 888 111 15,428 100 3.56 549 100 3.20 494
Oregon 26 6,530 251 17,983 100 3.68 662 89 3.28 579
Pennsylvania 849 41,821 49 17,776 97 3.72 661 97 3.18 564
Puerto Rico 1 344 344 9,917 0 -- -- 0 -- --
Rhode Island 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
South Carolina 12 2,367 197 16,937 0 -- -- 0 -- --
South Dakota 155 10,968 71 16,287 100 3.86 629 100 3.22 524
Tennessee 19 2,792 147 16,349 76 3.67 586 48 3.26 538
Texas 68 23,513 346 17,925 32 3.58 693 15 3.19 531
Utah 56 10,613 190 17,647 100 3.29 580 88 3.24 582
Vermont 77 6,473 84 17,407 65 3.85 685 65 3.22 573
Virgin Islands 3 492 164 8,750 0 -- -- 0 -- --
Virginia 50 6,089 122 17,002 64 3.56 613 53 3.23 544
Washington 39 10,765 276 21,747 100 3.59 781 82 3.23 691
West Virginia 4 282 70 13,062 100 3.82 498 100 3.36 439
Wisconsin 6,140 354,470 58 18,014 100 3.94 709 99 3.23 581
Wyoming 7 1,024 146 17,518 100 3.69 646 100 3.21 562
United States1 11,015 843,575 77 17,778 89 3.83 686 81 3.22 575

1Includes Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Table 5. Percentile thresholds for herds with minimum 25 cows and enrolled in a test plan included in genetic evaluations by breed and yield trait, 1996.

Percentile Ayrshire Brown
Swiss
Guernsey Holstein Jersey Milking
Shorthorn
Red and
White
Milk (lb)
99 23,684 24,337 20,351 27,988 21,882 21,492 22,726
90 17,443 19,427 16,230 22,749 16,033 19,367 21,563
80 16,119 17,772 15,201 21,408 15,091 16,208 19,958
70 15,518 16,961 14,363 20,449 14,419 15,300 19,314
60 14,975 16,030 13,761 19,680 13,873 14,526 18,912
50 14,274 15,450 13,013 18,916 13,278 13,815 18,631
40 13,652 14,690 12,639 18,147 12,653 13,209 17,841
30 13,185 14,120 12,117 17,297 11,967 12,573 17,467
20 12,423 13,055 11,499 16,261 11,304 12,110 15,832
10 11,511 12,118 10,709 14,810 10,252 11,571 14,991
0 8,714 6,945 6,978 6,067 4,414 7,922 12,655
Fat (lb)
99 953 946 915 1,199 1,071 743 838
90 691 793 738 848 759 642 786
80 642 730 689 796 714 596 748
70 611 691 656 761 678 547 732
60 580 657 624 731 652 530 710
50 557 630 601 702 625 517 688
40 544 605 583 673 590 498 668
30 518 564 549 641 561 434 644
20 487 535 518 603 527 421 570
10 455 488 489 547 475 403 555
0 340 282 329 176 193 287 481
Protein (lb)
99 815 867 716 986 853 710 712
90 591 699 578 731 605 621 702
80 547 641 545 688 568 531 645
70 520 606 518 658 544 497 617
60 503 579 495 633 524 478 605
50 479 551 470 609 503 463 586
40 462 521 450 584 477 444 568
30 442 504 432 558 449 416 559
20 419 468 411 524 424 402 497
10 390 427 387 477 390 380 479
0 288 254 251 181 162 249 396
Number
of herds
138 264 231 24,544 1,099 33 40

Table 6. Averages of official NCDHIP goat herds by state, 1996.

State1 Herds Doe-
years2
Doe-
years
per
herd
Milk
(lb)
Fat
(%)
Fat
(lb)
Doe-years
with pro-
tein data
(%)
Pro-
tein
(%)
Pro-
tein
(lb)
Alabama 1 7 7 2,323 3.66 85 100 3.14 73
Alaska 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Arizona 11 130 12 1,757 3.47 61 100 3.10 54
Arkansas 4 99 25 1,722 3.59 62 100 3.10 53
California 50 1,813 36 1,973 3.54 70 93 3.21 63
Colorado 9 191 21 1,825 3.92 72 100 3.49 64
Connecticut 7 92 13 1,678 3.99 67 100 3.22 54
Delaware 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Florida 2 29 15 1,789 3.51 63 100 3.11 56
Georgia 2 26 13 1,680 3.39 57 100 2.88 48
Hawaii 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Idaho 14 227 16 1,832 3.75 69 100 3.09 57
Illinois 6 97 16 1,344 3.66 49 100 3.21 43
Indiana 6 257 43 1,483 3.67 54 100 3.14 47
Iowa 12 588 49 1,923 3.71 71 100 3.17 61
Kansas 13 142 11 1,783 3.85 69 100 3.31 59
Kentucky 3 38 13 1,450 3.90 57 100 3.36 49
Louisiana 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Maine 8 122 15 1,918 3.81 73 100 3.15 60
Maryland 24 242 10 1,686 3.79 64 82 3.12 55
Massachusetts 9 75 8 1,557 4.42 69 100 3.36 52
Michigan 27 373 14 1,888 3.89 73 100 3.18 60
Minnesota 16 623 39 1,712 3.42 59 100 3.20 55
Mississippi 1 21 21 1,311 4.73 62 100 3.28 43
Missouri 12 119 10 1,987 4.05 80 100 3.63 72
Montana 3 29 10 1,411 3.68 52 100 3.18 45
Nebraska 2 55 28 1,991 4.08 81 100 3.40 68
Nevada 7 83 12 1,652 3.76 62 98 3.51 57
New Hampshire 11 336 31 1,485 3.83 57 100 3.22 48
New Jersey 12 95 8 1,740 3.98 69 100 3.18 55
New Mexico 1 10 10 1,832 3.82 70 100 3.44 63
New York 28 1,121 40 1,871 3.71 69 100 3.22 60
North Carolina 8 105 13 1,647 3.23 53 100 2.96 49
North Dakota 1 85 85 557 4.13 23 100 3.23 18
Ohio 44 1,322 30 1,532 3.82 59 96 3.21 49
Oklahoma 7 147 21 1,143 3.36 38 100 3.03 35
Oregon 58 869 15 1,666 3.93 65 90 3.32 56
Pennsylvania 12 247 21 1,779 3.94 70 100 3.26 58
Puerto Rico 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Rhode Island 3 46 15 1,570 4.01 63 100 3.24 51
South Carolina 3 29 10 1,955 3.86 75 100 3.31 65
South Dakota 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Tennessee 6 51 8 1,639 5.05 83 100 3.56 58
Texas 12 191 16 1,916 3.76 72 100 3.42 66
Utah 6 110 18 2,079 3.45 72 98 2.96 62
Vermont 4 261 65 1,903 4.20 80 100 3.26 62
Virgin Islands 0 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Virginia 10 204 20 1,643 3.87 64 100 3.18 52
Washington 7 102 15 1,632 4.17 68 100 3.29 54
West Virginia 2 20 10 1,942 3.63 70 100 3.00 58
Wisconsin 50 1,010 20 1,731 3.83 66 100 3.20 55
Wyoming 7 33 5 1,870 4.02 75 92 3.71 67
United States1 541 11,871 22 1,750 3.75 66 97 3.22 56

1Includes Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
2All doe-years had fat data.