Dairy Herd Management Articles:
Aim for zero feed refusal
“There’s no reason (why) we should overfeed heifers,” says Greg Bethard, of G&R Dairy Consulting in Wytheville, Va.
Feed heifers for a smooth transition
Springing heifers have unique nutrient requirements and should be managed accordingly to maximize productivity during their first lactation, says Noah Litherland, University of Minnesota extension dairy nutritionist.
De-oiled distillers grains OK for heifers
Distillers grains that are processed for reduced oil content may be “a viable option” for replacement heifer rations, according to a new Purdue University study.
Heifer feeding behavior studied
Young dairy heifers fed a total mixed ration of grain concentrate and chopped grass hay sorted their feed less and ate a more balanced diet throughout the day compared to heifers offered concentrate separately from the hay or top-dressed on it, according to a Canadian study in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.
Study examines ammonia emissions from heifers
Ammonia emissions from the manure of heifers fed a high-concentrate diet were no different than those released from the manure of heifers fed a low-concentrate diet.
Back off on phosphorus
Many feed ingredients in heifer diets contain plenty of phosphorus, which makes it difficult to keep phosphorus levels in the diet within recommendations.
Heifer-feeding Webinar
Want to learn more about feeding distillers grains to replacement heifers?
Straw in heifer diets studied
Straw in the diet of growing heifers “strongly influences” sorting behavior, according to Canadian research in the July Journal of Dairy Science .
New publication compiles latest dairy research
What is the best way to grow a dairy heifer? “It depends,” is the overtired response. But researchers at several leading universities attempted to quantify that answer in the recent publication, “Heifer Growth and Economics: Target Growth.”
Reduce stillbirths
One of the most disappointing events on a dairy farm occurs when a calf is born dead.
Step up nutrition to meet genetic potential
The practice of genetic selection for higher milk production is another reason to reassess your nutrition program for heifers, says Bennet Cassell, Virginia Tech dairy scientist.
Graze heifers on winter annual forages
Researchers at
Heifer feeding options plentiful
Researchers at the
Limit-fed heifers generate less manure
Imagine 10 pounds less manure per heifer per day. That was one result of a study reported in the February Journal of Dairy Science.
Teach young heifers to graze
See how this producer trains young heifers to be good, efficient grazers.
Heifers do well on alternative proteins
A new study shows post-weaned heifers get good gains when fed grain mixes containing dried distillers grains or urea.
Heifers sort feed, too
When given the chance, heifers will sort their feed — just like lactating cows.
Abrupt weaning hurts growth
Going “cold turkey” at weaning is stressful on all calves.
Self-feeders work well in heifer barns
This automated system delivers grain from an outside bin to the heifers’ troughs when it is needed.
Do you feed your heifers enough?
Here are three rules of thumb you should keep in mind when feeding heifers.
Fenceline hay feeder saves pasture
Check out this design that allows round-bale feeding without the use of traditional round-bale feeders.
Grow her fast without the worry
Learn the answers to your questions about rapid growth between three months and puberty, and its impact on mammary development and future milk yield.
Does laminitis start at weaning?
How you feed heifers at weaning may set them up for future lameness problems, according to preliminary research from
Set limits on gains before puberty
How fast can you grow heifers before puberty without hurting first-lactation milk yield?
Build your heifer supply
Put these two ideas to work on your farm in order to help grow your heifer supply from WITHIN the dairy.
Control variation in heifer feed calls
Consider adopting this tool from the beef feedlot industry to help reduce variation in feed delivery.
Special diet prevents fat heifers
Learn how these dairy producers keep their heifers growing well without getting too fat.
Pair corn stalks with wet distillers for heifers
Otherwise your heifers could get too fat.
Raise good heifers at less cost
A study by a custom heifer grower in Minnesota shows you can get good rates of gain with less cost by utilizing rotational grazing.
Build a complete heifer system
An intensive feeding program can get your calves off to a great start. However, if you want to keep building on those gains you need to build a complete heifer growth system to meet your goals.
Keep heifer growth rates steady
You can use these on-line heifer growth charts to track heifer performance on your dairy.
Produce low-cost forages for heifers
Forages often make up a significant portion of the diets fed to heifers. And, it’s easy to forget just how much homegrown forages contribute to the cost of raising a heifer.
Chart the growth of heifers
Computer program allows you to chart height and weight of heifers and compare to others.
Is she eating your profits?
Here are three ways to stop heifers from taking a big bite out of your bottom line.
Wet distillers an option for heifers
Growing heifers performed well on a diet consisting of wet distillers grains and low-quality forage in a recent on-farm trial conducted by
Two feed sources for transition calves
Adding an extra source of feed helps heifer calves transition to headlocks without losing body weight.
Lower phosphorus in heifer diets
Study shows a lot of heifers receive too much phosphorus in their diets.
Don’t guess at heifer performance
You need more than a visual appraisal to accurately track how your heifers are doing.
Ruler helps judge wither height
Use this idea to help check and track heifer growth.
Rate of gain targets
When it comes to raising replacement heifers, keeping protein and energy in proper balance is key to rearing heifers that freshen at 24 months of age, weigh about 1,250 pounds after calving, and are at least 54 inches high at the withers, says Mike VandeHaar.
Prevent poor starts among fresh heifers
We’ve seen many fresh heifers recently with rough hair coats, rapid weight loss and too much metritis after calving.
Feed good-quality hay to heifers
At this heifer-growing operation feeding high-quality hay helps promote intake.
Reduce the phosphorus in heifer diets
Overfeeding phosphorus isn’t just a problem in lactating-cow rations. Heifer diets also provide excess levels, according to
Heifer feed bunk fundamentals
Use these five strategies to help weaned heifers adjust to a feed bunk.
Success with intensive feeding
Calves gained on average 1.6 pounds for day during the first four weeks of life.
Keep low-energy feeds on hand
Heifers raised in free-stall barns need some low-energy feeds.
Pre-fresh heifers need a separate transition diet
Are your pre-fresh heifers getting the energy they need for maintenance, growth and, eventually, milk production? Here's why you should separate them from your transition cows.
Combat winter's chill
Don't let cold stress slow your heifer growth rates.
How to manage cold-stress situations
If you find heifers not gaining as much weight as you planned due to cold stress, use the following steps to change their environment and their diet.
Heifers may not benefit from DCAD
A Michigan State University study, reported in the September 2000 Journal of Dairy Science, suggests that first-calf heifers do not benefit from a negative DCAD diet prior to calving.
Grow her fast without the worry
Learn the answers to your questions about rapid growth between three months and puberty, and its impact on mammary development and future milk yield.
Rate of gain targets
When it comes to raising replacement heifers, keeping protein and energy in proper balance is key to rearing heifers that freshen at 24 months of age, weigh about 1,250 pounds after calving, and are at least 54 inches high at the withers, says Mike VandeHaar.
Keep low-energy feeds on hand
Heifers raised in free-stall barns need some low-energy feeds.
Pre-fresh heifers need a separate transition diet
Are your pre-fresh heifers getting the energy they need for maintenance, growth and, eventually, milk production? Here's why you should separate them from your transition cows.
Additional Resources:
- Penn State Dairy Cattle Nutrition – Heifers
- University of Minnesota – Calves and Heifers
- Penn State University Heifer Growth Spreadsheets
