BAP DAIRY EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
what percentage of US dairy products are exported? ✅✅correct answ-15%
What countries do we export to? ✅✅correct answ-Mexico, Canada, China
How many dairy cows are in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-9.4 million
what are the three largest dairy states for number of cows ✅✅correct answ-California, Wisconsin,
Idaho
How many dairy cows are in Missouri? Where do we rank with respect to other states?
✅✅correct answ-76,000; 26/50
what percentage of the calories in the American diet comes from dairy products? ✅✅correct
answ-10%
What are trend in fluid milk, cheese, and butter consumption in the USA since 1970? ✅✅correct
answ-dairy food consumption is increasing but fluid milk consumption is decreasing
What effect did COVID19 have on milk sales in the USA (increase or decrease)? ✅✅correct answ-
Increased by 8.3%
Where does the USA rank in the world for total milk production? ✅✅correct answ-3rd
What is the average dairy herd size in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-297 cows per herd
Where are most of the large dairies located in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-California, Wisconsin,
Idaho, New York, Texas
What is the average herd size for Missouri? How do we rank with respect to other states?
✅✅correct answ-106 for MO; 45/50
,What is the average milk production per lactation per cow in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-23,777
lbs per cow per year
Approximately how many gallons of milk per day does the typical cow produce? ✅✅correct answ-
7.6 gallons per day
What three states have the highest milk production per cow? ✅✅correct answ-Michigan,
Colorado, Idaho
What is Missouri's average milk production per cow and where do we rank for milk production per
cow? ✅✅correct answ-14,276 lbs per cow per year; 46/50
How does the weather in Missouri contribute to low milk production per cow? ✅✅correct answ-
way too hot and way to humid
Aside from the weather, what is a second major reason that Missouri has low milk production per
cow? ✅✅correct answ-grass-based milk production
Does low milk production per cow = low profitability per cow? Why or why not (use grass-based
dairying in Missouri as an example)? ✅✅correct answ-yes, if less milk, less value
How does the Zeal Grass Milk Creamery increase the profitability of their dairies. ✅✅correct
answ-sell in chicago
What are the two major dairy breeds in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-Holstein and Jersey
What is a Hojo or Kiwi cross cow? ✅✅correct answ-Holstein X Jersey
How many gallons of milk per day did Selz-Pralle Aftershock 3918 make during peak lactation?
✅✅correct answ-30 gallons daily
What is the "stress" that we put on a dairy cow? ✅✅correct answ-production of milk
, How is the "strain" different from the stress? ✅✅correct answ-how the cow responds to the
production of milk not the production of milk itself
Give some examples of strain that a cow may experience. ✅✅correct answ-milk production,
calving
How do we reduce the strain on a dairy cow? ✅✅correct answ-improved genetics and manage
the remaining strain
What are the two most genetically tested species? ✅✅correct answ-humans and bovines
How have the number of dairy farms and number of cows per farm changed in the USA in the past
50 years? ✅✅correct answ-smaller dairies are going out of business and cows move to larger
farms
Diagram the "Life Cycle of a Dairy Cow". ✅✅correct answ-
What happens to bull calves on dairies? ✅✅correct answ-Most bull calves are taken to market
and sold within one week after birth
What is "Dairy beef" and why do you breed dairy cows to beef bulls? ✅✅correct answ-If the dairy
farmer does not plan to keep a calf from a cow then s/he should breed the cow to a beef sire and
produce a black beef-cross calf
What do we mean when we day "replacement rate" for a dairy? What is a typical replacement rate?
✅✅correct answ-Replacement Heifers will eventually replace a cow in the herd when they calve
at 2 yrs of age; 30% each year
When should first breeding occur in a dairy heifer? ✅✅correct answ-13-15 months
When should first calving occur in a dairy heifer? ✅✅correct answ-22-24 months
ANSWERS
what percentage of US dairy products are exported? ✅✅correct answ-15%
What countries do we export to? ✅✅correct answ-Mexico, Canada, China
How many dairy cows are in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-9.4 million
what are the three largest dairy states for number of cows ✅✅correct answ-California, Wisconsin,
Idaho
How many dairy cows are in Missouri? Where do we rank with respect to other states?
✅✅correct answ-76,000; 26/50
what percentage of the calories in the American diet comes from dairy products? ✅✅correct
answ-10%
What are trend in fluid milk, cheese, and butter consumption in the USA since 1970? ✅✅correct
answ-dairy food consumption is increasing but fluid milk consumption is decreasing
What effect did COVID19 have on milk sales in the USA (increase or decrease)? ✅✅correct answ-
Increased by 8.3%
Where does the USA rank in the world for total milk production? ✅✅correct answ-3rd
What is the average dairy herd size in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-297 cows per herd
Where are most of the large dairies located in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-California, Wisconsin,
Idaho, New York, Texas
What is the average herd size for Missouri? How do we rank with respect to other states?
✅✅correct answ-106 for MO; 45/50
,What is the average milk production per lactation per cow in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-23,777
lbs per cow per year
Approximately how many gallons of milk per day does the typical cow produce? ✅✅correct answ-
7.6 gallons per day
What three states have the highest milk production per cow? ✅✅correct answ-Michigan,
Colorado, Idaho
What is Missouri's average milk production per cow and where do we rank for milk production per
cow? ✅✅correct answ-14,276 lbs per cow per year; 46/50
How does the weather in Missouri contribute to low milk production per cow? ✅✅correct answ-
way too hot and way to humid
Aside from the weather, what is a second major reason that Missouri has low milk production per
cow? ✅✅correct answ-grass-based milk production
Does low milk production per cow = low profitability per cow? Why or why not (use grass-based
dairying in Missouri as an example)? ✅✅correct answ-yes, if less milk, less value
How does the Zeal Grass Milk Creamery increase the profitability of their dairies. ✅✅correct
answ-sell in chicago
What are the two major dairy breeds in the USA? ✅✅correct answ-Holstein and Jersey
What is a Hojo or Kiwi cross cow? ✅✅correct answ-Holstein X Jersey
How many gallons of milk per day did Selz-Pralle Aftershock 3918 make during peak lactation?
✅✅correct answ-30 gallons daily
What is the "stress" that we put on a dairy cow? ✅✅correct answ-production of milk
, How is the "strain" different from the stress? ✅✅correct answ-how the cow responds to the
production of milk not the production of milk itself
Give some examples of strain that a cow may experience. ✅✅correct answ-milk production,
calving
How do we reduce the strain on a dairy cow? ✅✅correct answ-improved genetics and manage
the remaining strain
What are the two most genetically tested species? ✅✅correct answ-humans and bovines
How have the number of dairy farms and number of cows per farm changed in the USA in the past
50 years? ✅✅correct answ-smaller dairies are going out of business and cows move to larger
farms
Diagram the "Life Cycle of a Dairy Cow". ✅✅correct answ-
What happens to bull calves on dairies? ✅✅correct answ-Most bull calves are taken to market
and sold within one week after birth
What is "Dairy beef" and why do you breed dairy cows to beef bulls? ✅✅correct answ-If the dairy
farmer does not plan to keep a calf from a cow then s/he should breed the cow to a beef sire and
produce a black beef-cross calf
What do we mean when we day "replacement rate" for a dairy? What is a typical replacement rate?
✅✅correct answ-Replacement Heifers will eventually replace a cow in the herd when they calve
at 2 yrs of age; 30% each year
When should first breeding occur in a dairy heifer? ✅✅correct answ-13-15 months
When should first calving occur in a dairy heifer? ✅✅correct answ-22-24 months
