Description: This chart uses state statistics to show the size distribution of Wisconsin dairy herds between 1970 and 1998 (the data are incomplete for the 1970s). It is clear that the dairy sector has gradually shifted in the direction of larger herds. The results indicate that the small herds that used to be most common in Wisconsin (with less than 30 cows) have been steadily decreasing and now comprise less than 20 percent of the total. Mid-sized herds with between 30 and 99 cows have generally become more important. In 1998, the most common size category is 50-99 cows, which represent almost 40 percent of all dairy farms. Meanwhile, the largest herds (with over 100 cows) have steadily increased their role in the sector, comprising over 10 percent of all herds in recent years.

Source: The data come from published statistics compiled by the Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service (WASS), a division of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Most data are available in an annual WASS publication titled "Dairy Facts". For more recent data, visit their web site at: http://www.nass.usda.gov/wi/.