Happy cows may produce better milk, but most cows in California aren’t happy cows. They are factory farmed cows, like these ones here:

Compare that picture with this one, from the “Real California Milk” ad campaign:

In 2007, California had 2165 dairy farms with an average of 850 cows apiece. This represents significant consolidation since 2002, when they had 2793 dairy farms with 589 cows apiece. In 2007, over 90% of the cows lived on dairy farms that had more than 500 cows. In fact, the largest group of dairy farms – farms with over 500 cows – had an average of 1656 cows apiece. I can promise you, those cows were NOT grazing in pasture for the simple reason that it’s impossible.

Yet yesterday I passed a billboard for California milk showing a picture of a handful of cows grazing in pasture! What??? How about some truth in advertising, California?

Statistics are from the 2007 Ag Census. Pictures are from the Cornucopia Institute.

Another dairy feedlot – this one’s in Nevada

Calves at a dairy farm in Arizona

Let’s see how California stacks up against the U.S. as a whole and against other dairy states:

Overall in the U.S., the average dairy farm has 133 cows. 52% of all cows live in dairy farms with 500 or more cows, and the average of those “500+ cows” dairy farms has 1481 cows.

In Wisconsin, the average dairy farm has 88 cows. Only 21% of cows live in dairy farms with 500 or more cows, and the average of those “500+ cows” dairy farms has 946 cows.

In Vermont, the average dairy farm has 115 cows. 32% of all dairy cows live in a farm with 500 or more cows, and the average of those “500+ cows” dairy farms has 842 cows.

In New York, the average dairy farm has 110 cows. 34% of cows live in dairy farms with 500 or more cows, and the average of those “500+ cows” dairy farms has 985 cows.

In Pennsylvania, the average dairy farm has 66 cows. Only 10% of cows live in dairy farms with 500 or more cows, and the average of those “500+ cows” dairy farms has 815 cows.