Freight Class for Dairy Products
Cased cheese and butter are dense and usually rate freight class 50: a 40 lb cheddar block case measures about 60 lb/ft³, and a full pallet of 60 cases about 51 lb/ft³. Shredded cheese is lighter, about class 65. Dairy must stay cold, at 45 °F or below for Grade A milk products, so it needs a refrigerated carrier and a written temperature from the shipper.
Cheese and butter are dense
Land O'Lakes Foodservice publishes case specs. A 40 lb block of mild cheddar ships in a case of 14.87 × 11.87 × 7.25 inches at 44.6 lb gross, about 60 lb/ft³, class 50, and 60 cases go on a pallet, 10 per layer and 6 high. A case of 36 one-pound blocks of butter weighs 36.9 lb in 0.72 cubic feet, about 52 lb/ft³.
Shredded cheese is the exception. A case of four 5 lb bags weighs 21.5 lb in 0.92 cubic feet, about 23 lb/ft³, class 65, because shreds and bags hold more air.
Worked examples
Case sizes, weights and pallet patterns come from Land O'Lakes Foodservice product pages; the pallet deck is a standard 48 × 40 GMA pallet.
Pallet of 40 lb cheddar blocks — class 50
60 Land O'Lakes cases (44.6 lb each), 6 layers of 7.25 in on a 37 lb GMA pallet: about 48.3 inches high, 2,713 lb.
48 × 40 × 48.25 = 92,640 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 53.6 ft³. Density = 2,713 lb ÷ 53.6 ft³.
50.6 lb/ft³ → class 50.
Case of shredded cheese — class 65
Land O'Lakes shredded cheddar, 4 × 5 lb: 21.5 lb in 0.92 ft³.
Density = 21.5 lb ÷ 0.92 ft³.
23.4 lb/ft³ → class 65.
Cold chain rules
FDA's Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance requires pasteurized milk and milk products to be cooled to 45 °F (7 °C) or less and kept there, and FDA's consumer guidance puts a refrigerator at 40 °F (4 °C) or below. Land O'Lakes marks its cheddar blocks "keep refrigerated" and gives a 60-day guaranteed shelf life.
Put the set point on paper. For dairy and any other chilled food, the FDA transport rule makes the shipper responsible for telling the carrier, in writing, what temperature to hold. A dry van is the wrong trailer for cheese or butter, and some LTL carriers will not take chilled food at all, so book a refrigerated service and ask for the temperature log at delivery.
Heavy pallets
A full pallet of 60 cheddar block cases carries 2,676 lb of cheese before the pallet, at about 51 lb/ft³. That is heavier than many pallets are rated for: CHEP rates its 48 × 40 block pallet at 2,800 lb spread evenly.
Check the pallet rating, keep the cases square on the deck, and ask the receiver whether it can unload a pallet that heavy. A dense, cold load is also hard to rework at a dock if it shifts.
Check your dairy pallet
Enter the pallet's size from the floor and its total weight. Cheese and butter pallets will usually show class 50.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
54.99
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
2,933
lb
50+ lb/ft³ → Class 50
NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025)
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
Uses the 13-tier NMFC density scale (Docket 2025-1). See the full freight class chart.
Frequently asked questions
What freight class is cheese?
Block cheese usually rates class 50: a 40 lb cheddar block case measures about 60 lb/ft³. Shredded cheese in bags measures about 23 lb/ft³, class 65.
How much does a pallet of cheese weigh?
A Land O'Lakes pallet of 60 cases of 40 lb cheddar blocks carries 2,676 lb of product (44.6 lb per case gross), plus the pallet.
What temperature must dairy ship at?
FDA's Pasteurized Milk Ordinance requires Grade A milk products at 45 °F (7 °C) or less; FDA's general guidance for refrigerated food is 40 °F (4 °C) or below.
Can dairy ship by standard LTL?
Only with a refrigerated service. Dry LTL trailers do not hold a temperature, and some carriers refuse chilled food outright. Give the carrier the set point in writing and ask for the temperature log.