South Dakota’s dairy industry is thriving. Our milk cow population reached 215,000 as of Jan. 1, 2025. That means that South Dakota’s dairy cow population has more than doubled in the last 10 years, an increase of 117% according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The increase in the last five years has been 88,000 head, or 69%. South Dakota’s growth in dairy cow inventories leads the nation over both time periods. Full press release: https://bit.ly/431siBc
