Effect of Region and Herd Size on Dairy Herd Performance Parameters

Abstract

Differences in selected Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) performance parameters among regions and herds of different size categories were evaluated. DHI records from herds in 37 states were grouped into North, Midsouth, and South regions, and six herd size categories (20 to 49, 50 to 99, 100 to 149, 150 to 249, 250 to 449, and ≥450 cows). The North region had higher income over feed costs (IOFC); milk, fat, and protein rolling herd averages; summit milk; standardized 150-d milk; and percentage of cows in milk, than the other regions. These variables were lowest for the South region. Cost/45.4kg of milk, days open, days dry, and somatic cell counts were lowest in the North region and were highest in the South. Percentage of cows entering and leaving the herd were highest in the Midsouth and were lowest in the South. Larger herds had higher total feed cost, IOFC, milk, fat, and protein rolling herd averages, summit milk, standardized 150-d milk, percentage of cows entering and percentage leaving the herd than smaller herds. Larger herds had lower somatic cell counts than smaller herds. Cost/45.4kg of milk, days dry, days open, days in milk, and percentage of cows in milk did not show clear trends among different herd sizes. There were significant interactions between region and herd size for some of the variables.