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AIPL RESEARCH REPORT
K2-01 (2-03)		 State and National Standardized Lactation Averages by Breed for Cows Calving in 2001

R.L. Powell and A.H. Sanders
Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory, ARS-USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350
301-504-8334 (voice) ~ 301-504-8092 (fax) ~ inquiry@aipl.arsusda.gov ~ http://aipl.arsusda.gov

Data for the 2003 State and national lactation averages report were from calvings in 2001. This is the second report to include actual true protein measurements. National averages for all prior years have been computed to reflect the change from reporting of crude protein to true protein. Data collected prior to May 1, 2000 were adjusted to true protein basis by subtracting 0.19 percent from the crude protein percentage.

Yield data that are used in national genetic evaluations of dairy cattle and in other U.S. Department of Agriculture research originate from herds that are enrolled in the Dairy Herd Improvement program. The test-day data, used by the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory to determine lactation records, are processed and provided through dairy records processing centers.

Lactation records were calculated using the best prediction method and were standardized for age-parity, calving month, previous days open, and times milked per day. Records in progress and other records that were shorter than 305 days were extended to 305 days as part of the best prediction process. Component percentages were computed from average standardized yields for milk and components. Protein testing is at or near 100% except in California (89% for Holsteins and 92% for Red and Whites).

Only data used in the calculation of national genetic evaluations are included in the State and national averages. Thus, records beyond fifth lactation or by cows that lacked a first lactation record or valid sire identification were excluded. For other editing requirements, see complete evaluation documentation

The numbers of records and averages for yields and component percentages are in Tables 1 through 7 by State for Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, Guernseys, Holsteins, Jerseys, Milking Shorthorns, and Red and Whites. The numbers of records and national averages are in Table 8A-8F by breed for selected years.

Breed yields are different between this report and the herd-average report because this report uses standardized data, whereas herd averages are based on rolling actual data. Also, data for many cows that calve in 2001 also contribute to herd averages for 2001 and 2002. Finally, herd-average data do not have a restriction that they must be usable for national genetic evaluations. Relative yields among breeds will differ between the two reports because of breed differences in percentage of usable records and differences in age-parity factors.

Numbers of Jersey records increased by 2% (6% over five years) to an all-time high. Other breeds showed decreases. Brown Swiss, Holstein, and Milking Shorthorn numbers were lower for the previous year by 1 to 3%, and lower than five years earlier by 9, 8, and 6%. Corresponding declines were larger for Ayrshire, Guernsey, and Red and White, declining 7, 8, and 9% from the prior year and 26, 36, and 37% over five years. Milk yield increased to the highest average ever for each breed. Increases over last year ranged from 136 pounds for Red and Whites to 572 for Holsteins. Fat and protein yields were also at all-time highs for all breeds although percentages all declined slightly except for Holstein protein which increased by .06, attesting to its increasing market value.

Changes in the numbers of records and average yields result from many factors. Genetic change is expected to have a positive effect on yield, whereas feed availability and other operating costs, milk and beef prices, Government programs, and characteristics of herds entering and leaving eligible testing programs can affect production averages in either direction.

DHI Lactation Averages for Ayrshire  
Table 1. Ayrshire State and national standardized lactation averages for cows calving in 2001 with records
used in national genetic evaluations.

  Records Milk Fat Protein
State (no.) (lb) (%) (lb) (%) (lb) Reporting
Alabama 6 15,803 3.09 488 3.04 480 100
Arkansas 32 17,373 3.48 604 3.12 542 100
California 55 19,590 3.87 758 3.13 613 100
Colorado 17 19,753 3.87 764 3.29 651 100
Connecticut 92 18,779 4.03 758 3.22 604 100
Delaware 1 19,464 3.33 648 3.16 616 100
Florida 14 16,516 3.36 554 3.09 510 100
Georgia 36 16,652 3.70 616 3.25 542 100
Idaho 2 16,107 4.18 673 3.24 522 100
Illinois 232 18,317 3.73 683 3.14 575 100
Indiana 129 17,985 3.73 670 3.12 562 100
Iowa 482 18,580 3.86 718 3.14 583 100
Kansas 84 17,168 3.91 671 3.17 545 100
Kentucky 31 16,107 3.68 593 3.22 519 100
Louisiana 35 16,626 3.61 601 3.05 507 100
Maine 123 18,214 3.71 675 3.08 560 100
Maryland 285 20,303 3.96 804 3.12 633 100
Massachusetts 20 19,345 3.73 722 3.08 596 100
Michigan 43 19,357 3.93 761 3.10 599 100
Minnesota 197 16,567 3.81 630 3.08 511 100
Mississippi 2 15,948 3.65 583 3.20 511 100
Missouri 73 15,895 3.81 606 3.17 504 100
Nebraska 69 16,221 3.85 624 3.17 514 100
New Hampshire 142 18,617 3.83 714 3.10 578 100
New Jersey 38 19,753 4.45 878 3.22 637 100
New Mexico 290 14,798 3.75 555 3.16 468 100
New York 1204 17,839 3.85 688 3.09 551 100
North Carolina 71 14,482 3.87 561 3.01 436 100
North Dakota 10 16,111 3.69 594 3.11 501 100
Ohio 470 17,534 3.84 673 3.16 553 100
Oklahoma 72 20,398 3.56 726 3.01 615 100
Oregon 62 18,457 3.86 713 3.22 594 100
Pennsylvania 889 18,398 3.86 711 3.13 576 100
Rhode Island 36 14,994 4.31 647 3.14 471 100
South Carolina 42 14,892 3.64 542 3.07 457 100
South Dakota 2 15,200 3.91 595 3.10 472 100
Tennessee 32 17,292 3.78 654 3.10 535 100
Texas 10 18,330 3.98 730 3.30 605 100
Utah 16 15,148 4.47 678 3.34 507 100
Vermont 456 18,424 3.86 711 3.12 574 100
Virginia 46 17,050 3.79 646 3.08 525 100
Washington 32 18,110 3.93 712 3.20 580 100
West Virginia 61 15,156 3.80 576 3.11 471 100
Wisconsin 511 17,941 3.86 693 3.08 553 100
US 6552 17,878 3.84 687 3.12 558 100 

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DHI Lactation Averages for Brown Swiss  
Table 2. Brown Swiss State and national standardized lactation averages for cows calving in 2001 with records
used in national genetic evaluations.

  Records Milk Fat Protein
State (no.) (lb) (%) (lb) (%) (lb) Reporting
Alabama 31 18,902 3.92 740 3.22 608 100
Arizona 238 23,545 3.87 911 3.18 748 100
Arkansas 111 15,857 3.65 579 3.32 527 100
California 474 22,029 3.91 860 3.36 740 >99
Colorado 82 20,596 3.91 805 3.24 668 100
Connecticut 33 18,786 3.93 738 3.27 614 100
Delaware 22 21,930 4.46 978 3.27 718 100
Florida 11 18,776 3.54 664 3.15 592 100
Georgia 50 18,617 4.03 750 3.31 615 100
Idaho 280 21,058 4.01 844 3.37 710 100
Illinois 575 20,908 4.05 848 3.33 696 100
Indiana 453 22,192 4.00 887 3.31 734 100
Iowa 1487 21,459 4.03 866 3.30 708 100
Kansas 196 20,927 3.85 805 3.33 697 100
Kentucky 132 18,105 3.81 689 3.35 606 100
Louisiana 24 16,176 3.58 579 3.19 516 100
Maine 38 16,871 3.76 635 3.26 550 100
Maryland 330 21,723 4.08 886 3.30 717 100
Massachusetts 59 19,098 4.10 783 3.31 632 100
Michigan 243 23,897 3.93 938 3.26 779 100
Minnesota 1128 20,380 3.98 811 3.25 663 100
Mississippi 6 20,678 3.36 695 3.04 628 100
Missouri 417 18,185 3.97 723 3.38 615 100
Montana 61 15,432 4.02 620 3.45 532 100
Nebraska 253 20,993 3.85 807 3.25 682 100
Nevada 3 24,260 4.01 974 3.45 837 100
New Hampshire 92 19,002 4.05 770 3.35 636 100
New Jersey 12 18,342 4.04 740 3.18 584 100
New Mexico 30 19,734 3.84 757 3.30 651 100
New York 899 19,976 4.00 800 3.28 654 100
North Carolina 87 18,192 3.97 722 3.23 588 100
North Dakota 56 18,104 3.90 706 3.34 605 100
Ohio 1470 21,039 4.11 865 3.33 700 100
Oklahoma 110 18,846 3.63 684 3.26 615 100
Oregon 229 21,894 4.06 888 3.31 725 100
Pennsylvania 1080 21,003 3.92 823 3.27 687 100
Puerto Rico 130 13,665 3.27 446 3.27 447 100
South Carolina 11 19,160 3.77 723 3.30 633 100
South Dakota 303 18,230 4.09 745 3.38 616 100
Tennessee 261 18,758 4.02 753 3.27 614 100
Texas 505 20,782 3.91 814 3.32 691 100
Utah 102 17,431 4.48 780 3.49 608 100
Vermont 288 20,789 4.07 845 3.22 670 100
Virginia 144 22,759 3.74 852 3.21 731 100
Washington 226 21,796 3.83 834 3.35 731 100
West Virginia 7 21,235 3.84 816 3.23 687 100
Wisconsin 2694 20,984 4.06 851 3.30 692 100
US 15473 20,694 4.00 827 3.30 683 >99 

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DHI Lactation Averages for Guernsey  
Table 3. Guernsey State and national standardized lactation averages for cows calving in 2001 with records
used in national genetic evaluations.

  Records Milk Fat Protein
State (no.) (lb) (%) (lb) (%) (lb) Reporting
Alabama 2 19,023 3.88 738 3.26 620 100
Arizona 39 17,458 3.66 639 3.13 546 100
Arkansas 54 13,927 4.20 585 3.45 480 100
California 433 17,918 4.33 776 3.37 615 89
Connecticut 28 16,946 4.51 764 3.33 565 100
Delaware 2 17,187 3.97 683 3.13 539 100
Georgia 9 13,717 4.00 548 3.25 445 100
Idaho 23 16,091 4.32 695 3.52 566 100
Illinois 198 17,913 4.45 797 3.26 583 100
Indiana 404 16,227 4.39 712 3.33 540 100
Iowa 615 17,706 4.46 789 3.29 582 100
Kansas 43 14,809 4.22 625 3.24 480 100
Kentucky 58 15,785 4.04 637 3.28 518 100
Louisiana 100 14,098 4.39 618 3.38 477 99
Maine 32 15,435 4.53 699 3.41 527 100
Maryland 419 16,941 4.48 759 3.32 563 100
Massachusetts 6 16,197 4.35 704 3.30 535 100
Michigan 63 13,117 4.23 554 3.20 419 100
Minnesota 533 14,601 4.52 661 3.28 479 100
Missouri 287 14,534 4.35 632 3.40 494 100
Montana 36 18,266 4.19 766 3.24 591 100
Nebraska 80 16,989 4.28 728 3.25 553 100
New Hampshire 21 18,345 4.33 794 3.30 605 100
New York 566 15,751 4.48 706 3.27 515 100
North Carolina 93 16,631 4.42 735 3.26 543 100
North Dakota 1 18,989 3.35 636 3.06 581 100
Ohio 393 16,668 4.44 740 3.31 552 100
Oklahoma 66 16,259 4.02 654 3.26 530 100
Oregon 387 18,382 4.43 814 3.28 602 100
Pennsylvania 876 16,366 4.44 727 3.26 534 100
South Carolina 111 16,790 4.57 768 3.33 559 100
South Dakota 50 14,492 4.35 631 3.27 474 100
Tennessee 78 16,608 4.07 677 3.22 535 100
Texas 63 13,790 4.32 595 3.22 443 100
Utah 19 17,653 4.34 765 3.34 590 100
Vermont 182 15,534 4.48 696 3.26 506 100
Virginia 147 15,969 4.69 749 3.28 524 100
Washington 131 17,094 4.63 792 3.35 573 100
West Virginia 26 16,501 4.51 744 3.48 574 100
Wisconsin 2016 16,398 4.49 736 3.28 537 100
US 8690 16,410 4.44 728 3.29 540 >99 

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DHI Lactation Averages for Holstein  
Table 4. Holstein State and national standardized lactation averages for cows calving in 2001 with records
used in national genetic evaluations.

  Records Milk Fat Protein
State (no.) (lb) (%) (lb) (%) (lb) Reporting
Alabama 1890 20,801 3.44 715 2.96 616 100
Arizona 19510 23,951 3.50 838 2.98 713 99
Arkansas 1691 20,279 3.42 693 3.00 609 100
California 325440 26,311 3.57 940 3.04