When making artisanal cheese, the lion’s share of the milk used — 10 pounds of milk to produce 1 pound of cheese — comes from 1.27 million dairy cows in Wisconsin. Yet, in 2023, America’s Dairyland led the nation with 72,000 dairy goats, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In their prime and depending on breed, many dairy goats, which start milking at 85 pounds, can produce 6 to 8 pounds (3 to 5 quarts) of milk per day, the USDA reports.