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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 90 / Wednesday, May 12, 2021 / Proposed Rules represented only 4.3 percent of total certified organic dairy farms, while producing 31.6 percent of the total organic milk nationally. The survey also showed significant regional differences
in the number of milk cows on dairy farms. The Northeast and North Central regions average 58 head per farm; the Southeast 112 head; the West 405 head, and the South Central 1,667 head per
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farm. ARMS and NAHMS data showed similar patterns of size difference across regions.

TABLE 2TOP STATES WITH ORGANIC DAIRY FARMS COMPARED TO PRODUCTION
2016
Number of organic dairy farms United States
California
Texas
Wisconsin
Oregon
New York
Pennsylvania
Vermont
Washington
Minnesota
Ohio
Idaho
Indiana
Michigan
Iowa
Maine

The Organic Dairy Market Replacement Animals
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Cull and Mortality Rates Operations source replacement animals from onand off-farm sources to replace animals that are sold, die, or are intentionally removed culled. The APHIS NAHMS surveys 19 in 2007 and 2014 provide data on how many animals are culled removed from U.S.
dairies annually and the reasons for their removal. Most dairy cows were removed for udder problems or reproductive problems, followed by lameness and poor production.20 In the 2007 APHIS NAHMS survey of dairies, the national rate of permanently removing a dairy animal from a farm excluding cows that died was 23.6
percent 21 while the 2014 survey found a rate of 28.4 percent.22 The 2014
NAHMS survey found that 21 percent of adult organic cows were removed from the organic herd. These figures include animals that are sold as replacement females to other dairies. The 2014
survey found a lower percentage of cows were permanently removed on 19 USDA APHIS. NAHMS Dairy, 2007, Part I:
Reference of Dairy Cattle Health and Management Practices in the United States, 2007. This survey included both nonorganic and organic dairy animals. Available online at: http go.usa.gov/
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20 USDA APHIS. NAHMS Dairy 2007, 84.
21 USDA APHIS. NAHMS Dairy 2007, 87.
22 USDA APHIS. NAHMS Dairy 2014, Report I:
Dairy Cattle Management Practices in the United States, 2014. Available online at: http go.usa.gov/
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small and medium operations 26.0 and 26.3 percent, respectively than on large operations 29.7 percent.
The same surveys provide information about the deaths of animals on dairies. Overall, annual mortality rates were 7.8 percent for un-weaned heifers, 1.8 percent for weaned heifers, and 5.7 percent for cows 2007 survey.
In 2014, NAHMS identified that about 5
percent of adult organic dairy cows die on the farm compared to 21 percent of adult organic cows that were removed for other reasons. These numbers were roughly consistent with the 2007 report.
Between culling and mortality, a dairy farm would need to raise or purchase females that represent about 30 percent 23.6 percent culled plus 5.7 percent deaths of the farms herd size to maintain its size. As a lactating dairy herd cattle typically calves about 50
percent female offspring each year, the overall dairy herd should have enough replacement females to replace culled animals and animals that die. This conclusion considers downward adjustments for mortality using 2007
NAHMS rates noted above of 7.8
percent and 1.8 percent and additional reduction for culling.23 The additional 23 As an example, a 100-cow lactating dairy herd would produce about 50 heifers annually i.e., 50
percent of births. Considering this heifer group as a single group, a 7.8 percent mortality rate would reduce the herd to about 46.1 animals by the end of year one assuming a 7.8 percent mortality rate over the entire year. Additionally, we assume a 10
percent cull rate could further reduce this to 41.5
animals at the end of year one. By the end of the
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Percent of U.S. organic dairy farms 100
4.1
0.2
17.9
1.8
18.6
11.9
6.8
1.6
4.3
8.4
0.8
8.9
2.8
2.9
2.5

Milk production pounds 4,034,989,854
795,750,804
481,392,352
370,627,696
342,534,830
327,387,420
196,641,598
171,463,088
128,685,429
127,828,496
119,264,078
118,291,465
113,879,386
65,950,978
46,847,454
44,456,548

Percent of U.S. milk production 100
19.7
11.9
9.2
8.5
8.1
4.9
4.2
3.2
3.2
3.0
2.9
2.8
1.6
1.2
1.1

excess replacement female animals should allow organic dairy operations to expand the number of animals in their herds should they wish to expand. This scenario has not considered that producers may choose to breed with sexed semen which will increase the number of female offspring available to the dairy farm.
Sourcing Organic Replacement Animals Most organic dairy farms replace culls and deaths with replacement heifers that are born and raised on the farm.
The 2014 NAHMS data reports that 96.5
percent of organic replacement heifers are born and raised on the organic operation. An additional 2.6 percent of the replacement heifers are born on the operation and are subsequently raised off the operation before returning to the operation. The remaining 0.9 percent of replacement females are born off the operation and are presumably purchased from other operations.
The 2016 ARMS data also provides information about how dairies source replacement animals. Overall, ARMS
data indicates that in 2016, the average organic dairy farm milked 102.7 cows and added 43.0 replacement animals of all types. Of those replacements, 93.8
percent 40.35 head were born on the farm and owned continuously by it second year, this number could be reduced another 1.8 percent mortality rate for weaned heifers to 40.7 animals. Assuming a further 10 percent reduction due to culls, the original 50-animal group may be reduced to 36.6 animals by the end of year two.

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