This line graph shows two lines with separate vertical axes. One line shows the trend in the number of dairy cows, and the other the annual milk production. One vertical axis shows the number of dairy cows reported, with values ranging from 0 to 2.5 million. The other vertical axis shows the average annual milk production, as kilograms per cow, with values from 0 to 10 000. The horizontal axis represents the period from 1971 to 1996. The following values are approximate. The number of dairy cows in 1971 was 2.3 million, which dropped steadily to 1.25 million in 1996. Milk production was just under 6 000 kilograms per cow in 1971 and increased slowly to 6 500 by 1981. The rate of growth then increased more rapidly, reaching 8 750 by 1996.