As a dairy producer in Pennsylvania, here are some takeaways from the 2025 Dairy Producer Survey that could give insight into your peers and the larger industry as you work to move your farm forward. View the data below.
- Herd size. The average herd size reported by the respondents was 152 cows, while the average number of heifers on the farms was 119 heifers. The average herd size among survey respondents is 55 head larger than the average herd size across all dairy farms in Pennsylvania, which is 97 cows per farm according to USDA’s Milk Production Report.
- Future plans. When asked about their plans over the next 3 to 5 years, almost a third of participants indicated plans to retire and/or transition to the next generation. Expansion was anticipated by 18 percent of respondents, while 23 percent said they planned to modernize their facilities.
- Factors that drive performance. When asked to rate factors that could influence performance on their dairy operation, respondents viewed the following factors as most important: maximizing homegrown feed production, increasing milk components per cow, and improving udder health.
- Investments. When asked about investments that were made in the past four years and anticipated investments over the next five years, cow comfort was the most frequently reported. Additionally, the top planned investments for the next five years included feed handling facilities and storage and housing facilities for heifers and/or calves.
Data for Dairy Producers
Note: Click on any of the charts to make them bigger.
Average Herd Size
Future Plans
Factors That Drive Performance
Investments
