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.
Kansas Dairy Development provides temporary housing for up to 80,000 head of cattle — from a few days old to springers nearly ready to calve. Their formula for success is all in the details.
As dairy producers employ new breeding strategies to capture more revenue by creating beef cross calves, dairy replacement heifer inventories have taken a massive hit.
Heifers are not as abundant as they had been with prices increasing significantly. Dairy cattle slaughter has slowed with farms showing more interest in purchasing cows to keep stalls full while fewer go to slaughter.
Dairy replacement heifer trade has been light nationwide. Similarly, global dairy trade has been on the decline. Will the trend continue as we head into 2024?
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.
After culling nearly a quarter million cows in January, the U.S. dairy herd currently sits at 9.435 million head – the largest since August 2021. That growth gap is being filled largely with springing heifers.
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.
Holstein springing heifer prices faltered slightly at year-end auction sites, based on light trade and inclement weather through much of the country. Outlook for replacement heifer demand and value is mixed for 2023.
The USDA Milk Production report illustrated a 1.3% increase in November’s milk production over the previous year. Cow numbers also showed growth with an increase of 38,000 additional head over the previous year.
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.
This year’s record-shattering milk prices have marched on a slow retreat since their early summer peak, but values for springing Holstein heifers are holding about the same month-over-month.
Despite experiencing Hurricane Ian firsthand, Dakin Dairy Farms in Myakka City, Fla., is committed to not only making sure their cows are still well cared for, but they’re also becoming a local helping hub.
Rain was not the main headline when a powerful storm blew through Rutland County. The intense wind certainly was. The severe thunderstorm brought down powerlines and forced an old dairy barn to collapse, trapping cows.
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.
Managing heifer inventories on a dairy farm is not always easy. Deciding which heifers to keep and which to sell, as well as breeding decisions, can be a challenge. Experts offer seven tips on selling surplus heifers.
Learning by doing is the mantra for a lot of dairy farmers and Walter Graves is no exception. Graves was recently awarded a Young Jersey Breeder Award from the American Jersey Cattle Association.
Simon Vander Woude has grown his herd in various ways to improve quality and efficiency. With the help of a dialed-in, strategic game plan over the last decade, his herd of Holsteins have seen tremendous growth.
The Neuenschwander brothers have thrived during a tough dairy economy because of their ability to maximize cow comfort and produce excellent genetics on their Indiana dairy.
The increased cost associated with raising heifers has made producers retool their thinking. Earlier management decisions are happening on dairies, with a more dialed-in, strategic breeding philosophy being adapted.
While feed costs have significantly increased year-over-year, leading dairy nutrition consultants says don’t shortchange feeding heifers, even if they are viewed as an expense for your dairy.
Chobani has made a large contribution to the construction of the nation’s largest research dairy in Idaho. The donation was made to the University of Idaho-led Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment.
Once farmers get to the field, they will have plenty of tractor time to think about all the challenges that face them. Reach out to your dairy team leaders to to maximize your dairy’s profit while you're in the field.
