Georgia's dairy industry has been commercially successful since the 1930s. Today, there are several firms that have a hand in the processing of milk and milk products in Georgia. The dairy industry includes farmers, processors and manufacturers, who provide all the services needed to produce a variety of dairy products, as well as retailers who bring the products directly to consumers.
A total of 268 dairy farms produce 1.34 billion pounds of milk in Georgia. Dairy ranks 8th as an agricultural commodity in Georgia. Over 148 herds in Georgia are enrolled in the Dairy Herd Improvement Program. They average over 21,000 pounds of milk and 300 cows each. While the number of dairy farms in Georgia has declined over the years, the amount of milk per cow has greatly increased. The goal of UGA Extension and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is to extend lifelong learning about dairy production and management through research-based information.
Our Programs and Services
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On-Site and Telephone Consultation Available in many county offices for ag producers.
Recent Publications
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Evaluating Conformation and Growth of Commercial Dairy Heifers (B 1573) Selecting commercial dairy heifers and monitoring their growth can be difficult for many farmers and youth exhibitors. The way in which farmers are achieving production efficiency is highly variable f…
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Is Your Heifer Fit to Show? A Guide to Fitting and Showing Dairy Animals (B 1427) Every animal emerging from the pasture or barn needs time and attention to get her show-ring ready. The showman on the other end of the halter needs to be prepared as well. Faults in either fitting or…
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2025 Georgia Ag Forecast Series: 2025 Georgia Dairy Forecast (AP 130-3-06) 1. The Georgia dairy forecast for 2025 is steady to positive. 2. Key uncertainties come from the balance of supply and demand and potential federal order reform. 3. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (…
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Impact of Grazing and Heat Stress on Intake of Dairy Cows (B 1559) Allowing dairy cows the opportunity to graze pasture is a practice frequently used by dairy producers. Some producers use grazing as the primary source of forage while others use it as a supplement to…
Websites
UGA-affiliated sites
Dairy On: UGA Dairy Team Blog A blog on dairy research, youth activities and Extension programming.
Dairy Cattle Resources UGA Extension research-based information from the department of Animal and Dairy Science.
Commodity Teams at CAES Teams made up of research scientists and extension specialists work together to provide the latest technology and information for efficient, profitable production of some of Georgia's most valuable commodities.
Sustainable Agriculture at UGA Brings together information on sustainable agriculture including management intensive grazing and other resources.
UGA Department of Animal and Dairy Science Learn more about the animal and dairy science department at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
External sites
American Dairy Science Association Provides leadership in scientific and technical support to sustain and grow the global dairy industry through generation, dissemination, and exchange of information and services.
Georgia Milk Producers, Inc. Features pertinent information for Georgia's dairy producers. Sections include MILC payment program information, weather conditions and forecasts, dairy policy updates, newsletters, exchange quotes, an events calendar, and a classifieds section.
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Helene Damage Assessment The preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia Agriculture is $6.46 billion.
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Guthrie GFB Award Larry Guthrie announced as the 2022 Georgia Farm Bureau Commodity Award recipient.
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Horn Fly Research Horn flies are one of the most economically detrimental pests for the cattle industry, with an average of $1.8 billion in economic damages per year.
