The number of dairy cows in Colorado has grown along with the opening of the Leprino Foods cheese-making plant in Greeley in 2011. The company, which buys milk from local dairy farmers to make mozzarella cheese, completed the expansion in 2017. This has helped offset a decline in the farming business, at least for Colorado dairy farmers. Data is from USDA annual survey of dairy cow inventory on Jan.1 of each year.