878 Herds. 108.3% Average. 116.4% at the Top. Where Does Your BAA Rank on Holstein USA’s 2025 Lists?

878 herds. 108.3% average. 116.4% at the top. If you’re classifying Holsteins, you should know exactly where your BAA lands on that scale.

Executive Summary: Holstein Association USA’s 2025 BAA lists recognize 878 Registered Holstein herds that averaged 108.3% BAA on about 66 classified cows per herd, capped by a 116.4% herd at the very top. Breed Age Average values compare your cows and herd average to the breed average while adjusting for age and stage of lactation, so one number tells you how your herd’s type really stacks up. The article breaks down the Overall Top 200 herds, the Top 25 by herd-size bracket, and the leading college and university herds to show what high-BAA programs look like from 10‑cow show strings to 500‑cow-plus operations. It then gives you a four-step playbook: benchmark your BAA against the 108.3% group, use individual classification and linear traits to find which cows are pulling your score up or down, align matings with Holstein’s TPI index, and decide how hard to lean on your BAA in marketing. Holstein is explicit that classification data help identify the most profitable and valuable animals and add “definite marketability” to Registered Holsteins, and that breeding under the updated TPI formula is designed to deliver greater profit, efficiency, and fertility over time. Together, BAA, classification reports, and TPI give you a consistent, numbers-driven way to see whether your type program belongs with herds now averaging above 108% BAA—or whether your next round of matings needs to push type harder to get there.

Holstein Association USA’s latest Breed Age Average (BAA%) rankings put hard numbers on herd-level type in 2025: 878 herds, an average BAA of 108.3%, and an elite group pushing up to 116.4%. In a Registered Holstein market where classification data are used to identify the most profitable and valuable animals and to add “definite marketability” to your cows, your BAA is one of the clearest summary numbers other people can use to see how your herd stacks up inside the same classification framework Holstein Association USA uses across its membership.

What BAA Really Measures

The Holstein Breed Age Average (BAA%) value provides a way to compare an animal’s score and the herd average with the breed average, taking into account the animal’s age and stage of lactation. This calculation puts cows of all ages on a more level playing field and turns a barn full of individual scores into a single number that reflects herd-level type.

BAA is based on results from Holstein Association USA’s linear classification program, where classifiers evaluate 17 individual traits in five major breakdowns to help breeders “breed, develop and market higher producing, more durable cows.” All animals receive an individual BAA value on the herd classification report, and members utilizing the Classic or Standard options of the Holstein classification program receive an overall BAA for their herd, which can be used to see how their classified cows compare to the broader Registered Holstein population.

For the 2025 high-ranking BAA lists, Holstein Association USA specifies that if a herd was classified twice between January 1 and December 31, 2025, and received an official herd BAA both times, only the most recent official BAA was used, and herds needed at least 10 cows included in the BAA calculation to appear on the lists. Holstein’s herd classification policies also specify how cows canceled on the day of classification are treated in the herd inventory and when they may be excluded from the official herd BAA, including provisions related to cows in the lowest ten percent of the herd by BAA.

2025 By the Numbers

Holstein Association USA reports that in 2025, 878 herds had a BAA value eligible for inclusion on the high-ranking lists. Across those herds, an average of 66 cows per herd were included in the BAA calculations, so the numbers represent whole breeding programs, not just a few standout cows. For this group, the average BAA was 108.3%, indicating these herds are scoring well above the breed average as expressed in BAA.

The 2025 high-ranking BAA release is organized into three main list types:

Overall Top 200 BAA Herds
Top 25 BAA Herds by Herd Size
Top BAA Herds for Colleges and Universities

Holstein Association USA has used a similar format in earlier high-ranking BAA lists, which also recognized top herds overall, by herd-size bracket, and at colleges and universities.

A quick snapshot of the 2025 top BAA levels by herd-size bracket shows how far above that 108.3% average the very top herds are:

Herd-size bracket	Top BAA 2025	Example herd (prefix)	Cows scored
1–45 cows	116.4	ROCKY-TOP (TN)	12
46–70 cows	115.5	CURR-VALE (NY)	46
71–107 cows	114.8	CONANT-ACRES (ME)	85
108–249 cows	112.8	RIDGEDALE (NY)	108
Over 250 cows	110.8	KAMPY (WI)	294

All values in this table come directly from Holstein Association USA’s high-ranking BAA lists.

The 200 Elite: Who’s Pushing 115+ BAA

At the top of the 2025 Overall Top 200 BAA Herds list is ROCKY-TOP (Matthew T. Mitchell, TN) with a 116.4 BAA on 12 cows, the highest BAA reported on the 2025 lists. Just behind are several other well-known Registered Holstein herds:

BUTLERVIEW (Jeffrey Jet Butler, IL) – 115.9 BAA on 32 cows
JUNIPER (Juniper Farm Inc, ME) – 115.6 BAA on 22 cows
T-TRIPLE-T (Triple-T Holsteins, OH) – 115.5 BAA on 23 cows
MILKSOURCE (Milk Source LLC, WI) – 115.5 BAA on 32 cows
CURR-VALE (Currie Holsteins, NY) – 115.5 BAA on 46 cows
DUCKETT (Michael & Julie Duckett, WI) – 115.4 BAA on 37 cows

The rest of the Top 200 is filled with prefixes that Registered Holstein breeders will recognize—TOPP-VIEW, CONANT-ACRES, LADY-LUCK, BUDJON, SPRINGHILL-OH, HUMDINGER, MILK&HONEY, RETSO, LIDDLEHOLME, ROCK-N-HILL-II, and many others—holding BAAs from the mid‑110s down into the high‑100s on herd sizes ranging from 10 cows to over 100. Several of these prefixes also appear in earlier high-ranking BAA lists and in news coverage, indicating a sustained focus on herd-level type in those breeding programs.

Holstein Association USA notes that classification and the resulting type information can be used “to make mating decisions,” to identify “the most profitable and valuable animals in your herd,” and to “add definite marketability to your Registered Holsteins,” which helps explain why breeders pay attention to where they stand on this kind of list.

Top 25 BAA Herds by Herd Size

To ensure both smaller and larger herds are recognized, Holstein Association USA ranks high BAA herds in herd-size brackets, a format that matches how earlier high-ranking lists have been presented.

1 to 45 Cows

In the smallest bracket—often tie-stall or show-focused herds—every cow has to be there on purpose:

ROCKY-TOP (TN) – 116.4 BAA on 12 cows
BUTLERVIEW (IL) – 115.9 BAA on 32 cows
JUNIPER (ME) – 115.6 BAA on 22 cows
T-TRIPLE-T (OH) – 115.5 BAA on 23 cows
MILKSOURCE (WI) – 115.5 BAA on 32 cows
DUCKETT (WI) – 115.4 BAA on 37 cows

Other high-ranking herds in this bracket include TOPP-VIEW (Eric A. Topp, OH), LADY-LUCK (OH), SPRINGHILL-OH (OH), SHADOW-W (OH), JW-AGHAMORA (NY), SUNROSE (IN), MILK&HONEY (NJ), EXCELERANT (WI), NISE-N-FANCY (IN), LOOKWELL (IN), and several more, all above 113 BAA on 10–45 cows.

46 to 70 Cows

In mid-sized herds, more cows need to hit the mark to keep BAA high consistently:

CURR-VALE (NY) – 115.5 BAA on 46 cows
BUDJON (WI) – 114.7 BAA on 48 cows
HUMDINGER (NY) – 114.5 BAA on 51 cows
SWEET-PEAS (PA) – 113.8 BAA on 57 cows
RETSO (NY) – 113.7 BAA on 51 cows

Also in this bracket are LIDDLEHOLME, ROCK-N-HILL-II, WHITTIER-FARMS, DAN-J-LAN, CRISDHOME, HEADWATER, MCWILLIAMS, LONDONDALE, CARPSDALE-J, PLUM-LINE, SONNEN, MOONDALE, UNIQUE-VIEW, C-COVE, INTRIGUE, HENKESEEN, STAR-SUMMIT, KEYSTONE, SHEEKNOLL, GREAT-HERITAGE, and WILONNA, with BAAs in the low‑112s to mid‑111s on roughly 50–72 cows.

71 to 107 Cows

Once you reach 71–107 cows, herd BAA reflects type across a sizeable milking string:

CONANT-ACRES (ME) – 114.8 BAA on 85 cows
SCARLET-SUMMER (PA) – 114.0 BAA on 89 cows
JEFFREY-WAY (WI) – 113.5 BAA on 100 cows

The rest of this bracket includes ETGEN-WAY, ROEDALE, LYN-VALE, PLAINFIELD, GARDEN-STATE, ELMLO, CRYSTAL-OAK, SHORESBROOK, ACK-LEE, POSTHAVEN, NOR-RICH-ACRES, WALK-ERA, PENN-DELL, POTTSDALE, EVANS-H, FLANNERY-VU, MILGENE, CASTLEMONT, WALHOWDON, and ELM-SPRING, all running from the low‑112s down into the high‑110s on 72–107 cows.

108 to 249 Cows

At 108–249 cows, the top BAA herds show that herd size and type can scale together:

RIDGEDALE (NY) – 112.8 BAA on 108 cows
COCALICO (PA) – 111.9 BAA on 115 cows
LANTLAND (NY) – 111.0 BAA on 127 cows
JOLEANNA (NY) – 110.8 BAA on 124 cows
OLMAR (MN) – 110.4 BAA on 126 cows
MILEY (OH) – 110.3 BAA on 178 cows

Other herds in this group include SCHWOEPPES, MORRILL, GROVES-VU, SILVER-SHEA, J-KIKO, S-PINE-LAWN, BRYERSQUART, JMK, WIEBER, MONANFRAN, CAPSTONE, MAYPAR, WOODEDGE, BUCKS-PRIDE, DONRU, COUNTRY-HEART, MELL-WOOD, RE-MARKEL, MID-KNIGHT, ONEEDA, and WISCIT (University of Wisconsin–Platteville), with BAAs from 110.0 down into the upper‑107s and herd sizes between about 108 and 249.

Over 250 Cows

The largest bracket shows that very big herds can still rank well above average on type:

KAMPY (Kamphuis Farms LLC, WI) – 110.8 BAA on 294 cows
ARB-FLO-SPR (MD) – 110.3 BAA on 342 cows
ESKDALE (UT) – 109.8 BAA on 301 cows
ROYAL-VISTA (WI) – 109.3 BAA on 330 cows
TRENT-WAY (WI) – 109.2 BAA on 429 cows

Rounding out the Top 25 in this size class are K-HURST, BRIGEEN, HORNLAND, WARGO-ACRES, SRNKA, SUGAR-C, JENNY-LOU, L&N, JER-LENE, JUNLYN, HERON-RUN, KELLERCREST, VIADUCT, H-C-H, ARIWAMI, URSA-GRASS, MEADO-BROO, WIRTLAND, HYLIGHT, and HILL-LINE, all with BAAs between the high‑108s and mid‑104s on 250–564 cows.

Taken together, these brackets show that high-ranking BAA herds are producing a type that stands out compared to the broader Registered Holstein population, whether they milk 20 cows or several hundred.

Colleges, Universities, and the Future of Type

Holstein Association USA’s Top College & University Herds list highlights where future dairy professionals are learning how classification and herd-level type look in real teaching and research settings.

For 2025, the top college and university herds by BAA are:

C-OF-O (College of the Ozarks, MO) – 109.9 BAA on 42 cows
UTAG (Utah State University, UT) – 109.7 BAA on 64 cows
POLY (Cal Poly Corporation, CA) – 108.2 BAA on 86 cows
UCONN (University of Connecticut, CT) – 108.0 BAA on 50 cows
UVM-CREAM (VT) – 107.7 BAA on 63 cows
WISCIT (University of Wisconsin–Platteville, WI) – 107.4 BAA on 161 cows
OK-STATE (Oklahoma State University, OK) – 107.2 BAA on 21 cows
CSUF (California State University, Fresno, CA) – 107.1 BAA on 61 cows
LSU-SERS (Southeast Research Station, LA) – 106.4 BAA on 81 cows
NCSU (North Carolina State University, NC) – 106.1 BAA on 61 cows

These herds expose students and young professionals to the type programs that appear on national BAA lists, and that exposure can shape how they think about herd-level conformation in their future careers.

How to Use Your BAA in 2026

Holstein Association USA is clear about what classification and the resulting type information are for: helping breeders make mating decisions, identify “the most profitable and valuable animals” in the herd, and “add definite marketability” to Registered Holsteins. The BAA number is one of the simplest herd-level summaries of that type of information.

Here’s a practical way to put your BAA to work alongside classification reports and genetic indexes:

1. Benchmark your herd against 2025 results.
- Compare your current herd BAA to the 108.3% average reported for the 878 herds on the 2025 high-ranking lists.
- Then look at the 2025 herd-size bracket that matches your operation and see where your BAA sits relative to the herds in that group. If your herd BAA has been relatively flat over several classification rounds while the 2025 high-ranking group averages 108.3%, that can be a useful signal that your type program is tracking differently than the herds highlighted on these lists.
2. Use individual scores to see what’s helping or hurting.
- Review individual cow classification and linear traits to see which cows and cow families are consistently above or below where you want them to be on feet and legs, udder, dairy strength, and other key traits.
- Use that information to identify animals that are raising your herd’s type profile versus those that may be limiting your BAA, keeping Holstein’s herd-classification policies in mind when deciding which cows stay in the classification pool.
3. Align your breeding plan with your type goals.
- Holstein Association USA’s TPI index combines production, type, and health traits into a single selection index, and breeding cows based on the updated TPI formula is designed to result in more profit, efficiency, and fertility.
- Where your herd is weaker on type, consider placing greater emphasis on bulls with strong conformation indexes and linear traits that address those specific weaknesses, while still maintaining production and health targets that align with your market and breeding goals.
4. Decide how visible your BAA should be in marketing.
- Holstein notes that classification and type information can add marketability to Registered Holsteins, and a strong herd BAA is one way to demonstrate that your herd’s conformation stands above the average of the breed on a BAA basis.
- If your BAA is competitive within your herd-size bracket or approaches the levels seen on the 2025 Top 200 list, consider including it alongside production and classification highlights in your advertising, website, and sale catalogs so buyers can see that herd-level type benchmark.

Holstein Association USA does not publish a fixed dollar value for each BAA point, and this article does not assign one. What the 2025 high-ranking lists make clear is where herd-level type stands across 878 Registered Holstein herds—and which operations are consistently building cows that classifiers see as structurally stronger than the overall breed average reflected in BAA.

Using your own BAA as a benchmark, together with the detailed classification data behind it and indexes like TPI, gives you a grounded way to decide whether your breeding program is already in that conversation—or whether your next round of matings needs to push type more aggressively to get there.

Key Takeaways

878 herds averaged 108.3% BAA in 2025; the top hit 116.4%. If you classify Holsteins, that’s the scale you’re measured against.
BAA adjusts for age and stage of lactation, so your herd’s number is a direct comparison to the entire Registered Holstein population.
High-BAA herds exist at every size—from 12-cow show strings to 500+ cow operations. Herd size isn’t the barrier; your breeding decisions are.
Holstein USA is explicit: classification data help identify the most profitable and valuable animals and add “definite marketability” to your genetics.
Use your BAA alongside classification reports and TPI to answer one question: is your type program running with the 108.3% pack, or do your next matings need to push harder?

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