What share of the world's milk comes from cows?
Answer81%
Buffalo milk makes up 15%, and goat, sheep and camel milk combined about 4%.
Source: OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034 (2025) openknowledge.fao.org
Drinks · Facts & sources
Milk facts & stats
5 sourced facts about milk and dairy, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
The basics
Going deeper
About how many milk cows were there in the United States in 2025?
Answer9.498 million
The U.S. dairy herd grew by 153,000 cows from 2024.
Source: USDA NASS, Milk Production (Feb. 2026) (2025) esmis.nal.usda.gov
Expert level
Which state's cows produced the most milk per cow in 2025?
AnswerMichigan: 27,695 pounds
Wisconsin was next at 25,599 pounds per cow.
Source: USDA NASS, Milk Production (Feb. 2026) (2025) esmis.nal.usda.gov
What share of the world's milk production is traded internationally?
AnswerLess than 7%
Milk is perishable and more than 85% water, so most is consumed in the country where it's produced.
Source: OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034 (2025) openknowledge.fao.org
How much milk and milk drinks did the average American drink per day in 2017–18?
Answer0.33 cup-equivalents
That was down from 0.57 cup-equivalents a day in 2003–04.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, ERR-300 (2021) ers.usda.gov
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