Replacements
When replacement heifers are limited, every pregnancy counts.
The ebb and flow of market factors require dairies to be nimble in their management strategies. Situation currently at hand: not enough heifers to meet typical demand. That’s why Wisconsin veterinarian Ryan Leiterman advises dairies to embrace their older cows.
Dairy replacement heifers and beef-cross calves are fetching record-breaking prices this spring, with Holstein springers hitting $4,200 and beef-cross calves surpassing $1,600.
It’s history in the making in U.S. dairy animal trade right now, as springer values stay knocking on the door of $4,000 per head.
With heifer prices at record highs, raising replacements on-farm can be a money saver since 2024 costs are much lower than buying on the market.
An unprecedented shift in the U.S. dairy cattle population could signal uncertainty ahead in terms of milk production, cow numbers, and prices – for both the milk and the animals.
The beef cattle industry is evolving, and dairy producers are playing a pivotal role in that transformation.
When dairy farmers think about animals impacted by cold stress, calves are often the first that come to mind. However, it’s important to remember that cold stress doesn’t just affect calves—it can also significantly impact heifers.
Compared to five years ago, today’s Holstein springer values are double to triple and still on the rise.
Facilities, genetics, nutrition, stockmanship and marketing are some of the impotant factors to consider in the transition process.
Bloody scours in calves is never a welcome sight, but diagnosing the source can help with treatment and prevent future cases.
Beef-on-dairy breeding has revolutionized the U.S. cattle industry, shored up dwindling fed-beef cattle supplies, and added considerable black ink to the bottom lines of dairies in recent years. But is it a phenomenon gone too far?
The runaway dairy heifer and calf markets of 2024 have cooled a bit at summer’s end.
Holstein springers tread into $3,000 per head territory again this month, roughly double year-ago values.
Beef-cross calves continue to fetch astounding values of more than $1,000/head in some markets.
Skills learned in a beef feedlot serve dairy heifer grower Erik Mohrlang well as he manages 14,000 dairy heifers at a Colorado custom-rearing yard.
Cow numbers are lower than a year ago, but fewer cows are being culled than anticipated. The lower availability of replacements and strong interest in beef-on-dairy may influence the level of culling.
As long as the beef market is hot, the key for producers will be maintaining the right number of lactating cows going through the parlor and ensuring the right number of replacement heifers can keep that pipeline full.
Higher prices for beef calves are incentivizing dairy producers to breed crossbred bull calves
A popular combination of enhancements in calf starter rations has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for replacement heifers.
Heifer availability has tightened, and prices have increased substantially. One reason is the interest that has developed in beef-on-dairy calves.
Weight at calving not only determines first-lactation performance, it pretty much sets in stone lifetime performance and your herd’s overall performance.
More dairy heifer raisers are taking a page from the feedlot world these days by utilizing liquid supplements as carriers for vitamins, trace minerals, and feed additives in heifer TMRs.
Raising heifers is expensive, to be sure. But in the long run, raising them right is far more important than raising them cheap.
Getting cows pregnant is vital to keeping the pipeline full. According to Jeremey Natzke of Wayside Dairy, a 35% plus pregnancy rate equates to an outstanding repro program and a number his dairy worked hard to achieve.
Because newborn calves have very little body fat to help them stay warm, calf jackets can help them preserve energy, protect immunity and improve daily gain.
While Lung Ultrasound is the cornerstone of any good Calf Herd Health Program, there are many other benefits to getting your herd vet in your calf barn on a regular basis.