Since 1993, however, Kansas milk production has turned upward at an increasing rate. Production has jumped 40 percent since 1993, and cow numbers are up 12.3 percent.

Of the approximately 91,000 dairy cows in Kansas, 45,000 to 50,000 are estimated to belong to 18 of the largest dairies in the western part of the state. That puts the average size of those 18 dairies at 2,500 to 2,800 cows, leaving the remainder of Kansas dairies at an average of 32 to 35 cows.

Still, there are small dairy success stories in the state. One dairyman, who milks a small herd in northcentral Kansas, said: "It is a way of life and you must make the most of it. You must be committed to succeed."

That’s the common thread between small and large dairies in Kansas. Some of those stories are told in this news package, which is being released to support news coverage during Dairy Month in June.

For more information on this package, or to receive e-mail copies, please contact Donise Osbourn at dosbourn@oznet.ksu.edu, or 785-532-5806.

1) Kansas Dairies: Success from the Front Lines

2) Coffee Craze: Wheat Protein Products Used as Coffee Creamer

3) K-State Testing Cooling System for Dairy Cows

4) Cost-Share Programs Help Dairies Manage Waste, Protect Environment

5) Dairies Look to Kansas For Room to Grow 

We hope these stories will be useful to you.