(Radio Iowa) – Iowa is seeing a number of dairy producers leave the industry while many of those who remain are growing in size, according to a survey from the Iowa State University Extension. I-S-U Extension dairy specialist Jennifer Bentley says it’s been a shift over the past several years. “We’re still as a herd size in Iowa a little less than 250 cows per herd, but we are seeing dairy farms exit the dairy industry,” Bentley says, “however, a lot of our dairy producers are increasing their herd size.”

The surveys are done every five years and the results of the 2020 survey were just released. Bentley says the new survey shows producers are adapting to advances in automation. “Technology practices are increasing with robotic dairies, we’re starting to see more producers implement that into their operations with facilities,” Bentley says. “When we take a look at other technology practices or management practices, a lot of the genetics, more genomics being used on the farm.”

She says the pandemic has been tough on dairy producers. “A majority of them would say that yes, COVID-19 significantly had an impact on their dairy operation,” Bentley says. “We are seeing increased mental health stress on farms. Our survey results showed, over the last five years, dairy producers in general are experiencing more stress.”

Bentley says the typical dairy herd in Iowa has less than 250 predominantly Holstein cows with a rolling herd average between 18- and 26-thousand pounds.