What state in the United States has the largest dairy cow population?

In 1932, probably either Vermont or Wisconsin. I vote for Wisconsin.

My guess is California.

It was always Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New York in 3rd place from the 50s through the 70s ... I'd guess Wisconsin in the 30s.

WI

I'm guessing New York

Iowa.

Wow! I didn't see that one coming at all. Those cows must've been feeding mostly farm workers, busy harnessing all that once-fertile ground, eh?

T Payne, that would be my guess. I can't imagine that those numbers were for commercial dairies. I'm not sure but it's hard for me to imagine that milk was shipped very far across country even in those days.

Almost every little town in the Upper Midwest had a creamery at one time. I would guess that the numbers dwindled starting after WWII.

Jerry is correct in that the milk probably did not travel far from the farm to the creamery or creamery to customer.

There where lots of 20 to 30 cow dairies in the late fifties to early sixties in north central Iowa, and today you would be hard pressed to find one in the school district I where I attended. There were not many when I graduated in 1977.

Northeast Iowa is a different situation. The smaller herds hung on longer. Now, there are probably just as many cows as in the sixties, maybe more, but a lot fewer dairies.

Neal

A couple of shots from back in the day.

Probably cheese and butter and a few other manufactured dairy products could be shipped longer distances.

We've maybe forgotten too much about local economies, that don't rely on faraway places and unseen hands to provide nutrition.

Thanks for the photos Uncle Joe, they remind me of my grandpa's old dairy.