Replacements

Replacement Cow Prices Hit Records, Heifer and Beef-on-Dairy Calf Values Stay Strong

Thu, 14 May 2026 16:40:13 GMT

Replacement cattle prices continue running at historically strong levels as dairy producers continue paying premium prices cross the market. From replacement cows to springing heifers and beef-on-dairy calves, values remain well above year-ago levels across much of the country.

Replacement Milk Cow Prices Hit Records

Milk cow prices continued climbing in April 2026, according to the latest USDA estimates. The national average price for milk cows sold for dairy herd replacement reached $3,130 per head, up from $2,980 in January and $2,860 one year earlier.

Several major dairy states posted even stronger numbers. Michigan averaged $3,360 per head, Wisconsin reached $3,320 and Iowa climbed to $3,300. Minnesota, Colorado, Florida and Vermont all landed near $3,200 per head.

State	April 2025	January 2026	April 2026
Arizona	2,900	$,200	3,400
California	2,700	2,800	3,000
Colorado	2,700	3,000	3,200
Florida	2,900	3,100	3,200
Georgia	2,730	2,990	3,090
Idaho	2,850	2,900	3,150
Illinois	2,730	2,930	3,050
Indiana	2,880	3,040	3,080
Iowa	2,960	3,150	3,300
Kansas	2,550	2,900	3,040
Michigan	3,070	3,220	3,360
Minnesota	2,810	3,050	3,200
New Mexico	2,500	2,800	2,950
New York	3,050	3,080	3,130
Ohio	2,930	3,040	3,070
Oregon	2,900	2,900	3,100
Pennsylvania	2,860	2,980	3,040
South Dakota	2,600	2,840	3,000
Texas	2,800	2,850	3,000
Utah	2,600	2,700	3,000
Vermont	2,970	3,100	3,200
Virginia	2,760	2,950	3,090
Washington	2,900	2,750	2,950
Wisconsin	3,130	3,170	3,320
U.S.	2,860	2,860	3,130

The strong market reflects ongoing pressure on replacement supplies. As more dairy producers breed cows to beef genetics, fewer traditional dairy replacements are entering the pipeline, making quality milk cows harder to find.

Heifer Prices Remain Strong

Replacement dairy heifer prices continue to run at historically strong levels, although some markets are beginning to show signs of leveling after the rapid climb seen over the past year. Top quality Holstein springers are regularly bringing between $3,500 and $4,400 per head, with many sales topping the $4,000 mark.

Withee, Wis. - May 6, 2026

Heifer Category	Weight / Type	Price Range ($)
Top Quality Springing Heifers	—	3,500 – 4,400
Common Springing Heifers	—	3,475 and Down
Holstein Short Bred Heifers	—	2,250 – 3,500
Holstein Open Heifers	300# – 500#	1,250 – 2,200
Holstein Open Heifers	500# – 700#	1,500 – 2,375
Holstein Open Heifers	700# – 850#	1,750 – 2,500

Medium quality springers are commonly selling from around $3,000 to $3,500, while short bred heifers continue bringing strong prices depending on quality and stage of pregnancy.

Turlock, Calif. - May 8, 2026

Category	Price Range ($)
Top-Quality Holstein Springers	3,600 – 4,300
Medium-Quality Holstein Springers	2,950 – 3,500

Open Holstein heifers are also selling at levels well above historical averages. Larger heifers nearing breeding age have reached as much as $2,500 per head in recent sales. While some markets have started to level after the sharp run higher over the past year, demand for replacement heifers remains aggressive in many regions.

Pipestone, Minn. - April 16, 2026

Category	Price Range ($)
Top Springing Heifer	4,250
Top 10 Springers	4,250
Top 25 Springers	4,200 – 4,250
Top 50 Springers	4,135 – 4,250
Top 100 Springers	4,100 – 4,250
Top 150 Springers	3,975 – 4,250
Top 200 Springers	3,500 – 4,250

Beef-on-Dairy Calf Prices Continue to Climb

Beef-on-dairy calves continue to generate strong interest from calf growers and feeders, helping support high prices across multiple weight classes. Recent sales showed beef-cross calves bringing between $17 and more than $23 per pound on a liveweight basis.

Cherry Creek, N.Y. - April 22, 2026

Calves	Low Price per lb. ($)	High Price per lb. ($)
Heifer Calves	8.2	10
Grower: Over 92#	13	15.2
Grower: 80# to 92#	13	16.5
Beef-Type Calves	17	23.2

Prices for older beef-on-dairy feeder cattle also remain strong, with several weight groups of heifers and steers bringing solid values in recent sales.

Turlock, Calif. - May 8, 2026

Weight Range (lb.)	Heifers Price Range ($)	Steers Price Range ($)
300 - 399	NO TEST	NO TEST
400 - 499	360.00 - 400.00	375.00 - 400.00
500 - 599	345.00 - 385.00	350.00 - 375.00
600 - 699	NO TEST	NO TEST
700 - 799	NO TEST	NO TEST
800 - 899	235.00 - 297.50	NO TEST

Market Shows No Sign of Easing

Replacement cattle prices are holding at strong levels across milk cows, heifers and beef-on-dairy calves, and most producers are still having to pay up to secure the animals they want. Beef-on-dairy calves remain a bright spot for many dairies, but that same trend keeps pulling more animals out of the dairy replacement pipeline, which adds pressure on heifer availability. With supplies still tight and demand steady across all classes of cattle, there is little indication replacement costs will ease anytime soon.

Rising Sexed Semen Use Signals Slow Rebound in Dairy Heifer Numbers

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:22:24 GMT

After years of breeding crossbred calves for the lofty beef market, dairy producers appear to be slowly shifting their practices to breed more heifers. According to Sarina Sharp, analyst with the Daily Dairy Report, “U.S. dairy producers prioritized heifer calf production last year, setting the stage for an incremental uptick in heifer supplies in years to come. It’s possible that U.S. dairy heifer head counts reached their low for the current cycle last year.”

Last year, dairy producers bought 10.6 million units of gender-selected semen, a 6.5% increase from 2024, according to the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) annual sales report. Gender-selected semen last year accounted for 64% of all dairy semen sales.

“Producers looking to stock their new or expanded facilities likely drove the increased focus on dairy semen,” Sharp said. “But record-breaking beef calf prices also incentivized producers to breed for the beef market.”

Despite the modest shift in breeding practices, heifer supplies will likely remain relatively tight, especially if some calves are exported. According to the report, international demand for replacement heifers is increasing opportunities for U.S. dairy producers to generate more heifers for export.

“The rise in gender-selected dairy semen sales last year was large enough to arrest a five-year decline in overall semen units, highlighting a modest shift toward making more heifers,” Sharp noted. “Relentless advances in artificial insemination technologies, genetics, and on-farm breeding practices have improved conception rates for cows inseminated with gender-selected semen, boosting the potential increase in heifer calf births.”

The NAAB report also noted that producers are genomic testing a larger number of cows so they can produce replacement heifers from their best animals using gender-selected semen. They then use more beef semen for the rest of their herd to produce high-value calves for feedlots. Last year, NAAB sold 1.7 million units of beef semen to beef producers and 8.1 million units to dairies, up from 7.9 million in 2024.

Both dairy heifer and crossbred beef calves are extremely valuable and will likely remain so in the foreseeable future, Sharp said. In April, newborn crossbred calves set an all-time high above $1,900/head. “With the largest dairy herd in more than three decades, the industry can simultaneously increase births of dairy heifer and beef calves,” she added.

High Milk Production Meets a Changing Cattle Market

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 20:54:13 GMT

The USDA is set to release the February Milk Production data later this week. If on trend with 2025 and the first numbers posted from January’s Milk Production, most are expecting another big number, if not continued growth in gallons of production.

High milk production has stressed markets despite efforts to increase value added products. Increased consumer demand here in the United States of some of these products such as protein products and ready-made dairy products has helped. Also, more exports of fluid milk and milk products to countries worldwide has lessened the blow of increased production, however the overload of production hasn’t been an easy hurdle to surpass.

Last week, the USDA released the monthly WASDE report. As expected, milk production was raised from last month, projecting February and March to be 3 billion pounds over the respective month in 2025, which was 5.6 billion pounds over the 2024 data. The balance sheet was not all doom and gloom though, Exports for Fat-Basis were projected to reach 18 billion pounds here in March of 2026. That is an increase of 500 million from the February projections for 2026, 1.3 billion pounds over March of 2025, and an astounding 6.2 billion pounds over 2024.

Expectations for the February Milk Production Report to be released Thursday are in line with the WASDE report, showing a steady increase in production. Much like what we saw all of 2025.

Looking for a reason behind the growing milk production numbers isn’t as simple as more cows equals more milk. Milk cow numbers are high, one of the highest in the last twenty-five years. However, beef cattle numbers are the lowest in 75 years. This has created a unique dynamic where cattle prices are high, but milk prices are low.

The story gets more confusing when you see dairy heifer retention at a near low. When you take all dairy cattle inventory, including calves, you see one of the lowest numbers of all dairy cattle in history. It is easily explained by the dairy dynamic beef we’ve seen since beef prices skyrocketed.

(USDA - Reports)

Beef-on-dairy calves are worth so much, that instead of keeping back a heifer and breeding for quality retention, we are breeding for immediate dispersal of a beef calf. Therefore, milk cow numbers are high, not due to wanting to produce a greater volume of milk, but to squeeze out another year or two of calf production out of a cow that would have previously been culled prior to the cattle value rally.

This sets the dairy industry up for a big problem for years to come as we eventually are forced to cull a large part of the herd and there are very few heifers to take their place. The question is timing of when we will see this impact on production and dairy prices.

Sarah Jungman is a commodity broker with AgMarket.Net and AgDairy, the dairy division of John Stewart & Associates Inc. (JSA). JSA is a full-service commodity brokerage firm based out of St. Joseph, MO. Sarah’s office is located in Winterset, Iowa and she may be reached at 515-272-5799 or through the website www.agmarket.net .

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2025: A Year for the Cattle Market Record Books

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:00:34 GMT

Livestock market historians will likely record 2025 as the year prices exploded beyond the wildest imaginations of even the most seasoned industry veterans. Holstein springers bested $4,000/head regularly through the year, and briefly surpassed $4,500 in Minnesota in late fall. Calves, too, saw prices that were unimaginable even a year ago, with Holstein heifer calves often exceeding $1,000/head and newborn beef-cross calves sometimes fetching $1,800/head or more this year.

But it appears that the doors that were once blown off the market bus through the year are settling back into place as year-end approaches. For the second consecutive month, Holstein springer values are down, falling $200-500/head in California and about $400/head in Minnesota month-over-month.

Calves, too, saw prices temper a bit in the past month. Holstein heifer calves stayed steady nationwide, but the test was extremely light – perhaps a signal that dairies are holding onto absolutely every heifer to bolster replacement inventories. Beef-cross calves – the runaway darlings of the 2025 marketplace – have also pulled back slightly in price, but remain well over $1,000 per head for newborns nationwide.

Fewer Heifers Mean Higher Stakes for Reproduction

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:55:07 GMT

Over the last 20 years, reproduction in dairy herds has changed in ways that were hard to imagine two decades ago. Pregnancy rates that once sat in the low teens are now climbing to levels that have reshaped how farms manage breeding decisions.

“We’ve seen average preg rates go from 13% to 14% to herds that now push 40%,” says Paul Fricke, professor and Extension specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, on a recent Dairy Health Blackbelt podcast. “That’s why we’re using sexed semen and beef semen. It’s changed everything.”

However, that progress comes with a tradeoff. As sexed semen is used more strategically and beef semen fills in elsewhere, farms are raising fewer replacement heifers. According to Fricke, that makes it harder to absorb mistakes.

“My argument has been we’ve got to be better with those fewer heifers from a reproductive standpoint,” he says.

With fewer heifers in the pipeline, every breeding decision carries more weight. Missed heats, mistimed inseminations or extended days open can quickly add cost and delay animals entering the milking herd. Fricke says heifer reproduction can’t be treated as a low-priority task. Getting heifers pregnant at the right time, he says, matters more when fewer replacements are available.

Rethink Timed AI in Heifers

As farms work to manage heifer breeding more consistently with fewer replacements, many have turned to synchronization programs to simplify decisions and reduce reliance on heat detection. Timed-AI protocols are now common on many farms because they’re easier to manage with limited labor, but Fricke says they aren’t without limitations. He points to the 5-day CIDR-Synch protocol as a common starting point for heifers, noting that its biggest challenge comes down to timing.

“The big problem with these protocols is they’re not 100% timed AI protocols,” Fricke explains. “We’ll see about 27% to 33% of heifers coming to heat a day early.”

That early estrus creates management challenges and opens the door to mistimed inseminations. To address it, Fricke’s team tested a simple change by leaving the progesterone insert in place for an extra 24 hours.

“There were 12% of the heifers that came into heat early on the 5-day treatment, compared with only 1% on the 6-day treatment,” he says. “With conventional semen in Holstein heifers, there was no decline in fertility.”

Does Sexed Semen Need a Different Approach?

That consistency, however, doesn’t always carry over when sexed semen is used. Fricke says many farms manage sexed semen the same way they would conventional semen, which can lead to lower conception rates than expected.

“Sex[ed] semen is quite different,” he says. “What I generally see is low conception rates. I think it’s a timing of insemination issue.”

In a Wisconsin study across three farms using sexed semen, once-daily heat detection with prostaglandin achieved a 45% conception rate. The 5-day CIDR protocol improved conception to 52%. But the 6-day protocol fell back to 45%.

“The worst thing you can do with sex[ed] semen is inseminate too early,” Fricke says. “And that’s what we did. We kind of set them up to get bred too early.”

Look Beyond Upfront Costs

While synchronization protocols often draw scrutiny for their upfront cost, Fricke argues that focusing only on protocol price misses the bigger economic picture. The real driver of profitability in heifer reproduction, he says, is days on feed.

“The big thing about repro in heifers is limiting total days on feed, because total days on feed is determined by when you get the heifers pregnant,” he says. “That feed cost is something that a lot of farmers don’t look at. It’s the classic kind of unfunded cost, right? The hidden cost.”

In his comparison of minimal estrus synchronization versus CIDR-based programs, the upfront numbers favor the simpler approach. Protocol costs averaged $4.05 per pregnancy for the estrus group, compared to $22.29 for the CIDR group. But the CIDR heifers were inseminated 12 days earlier and pregnant eight days sooner.

“The feed costs were $82 for the estrus group versus $50 for the CIDR group,” Fricke says. “So, we’re actually $16.66 more profitable per pregnancy by being more aggressive with the heifers.”

For Fricke, how the numbers are presented is just as important as the results.

“Farmers will look at the upfront cost,” he says. “We need to show them this is an investment, not just a cost.”

Make Every Heifer Count

As herds rely on fewer replacement heifers, the stakes for getting each one pregnant at the right time are higher than ever. Every day a heifer remains open adds feed costs and can delay her entry into the milking herd, making careful management more critical.

“When I look at dairies, the low-hanging fruit now is the heifer side,” Fricke says. “Heifers are kind of out of sight, out of mind, but heifers are important.”

Fricke emphasizes success in heifer reproduction is no longer just about hitting pregnancy targets. It’s about making the most of each heifer and ensuring the herd stays on track. By understanding how protocols, semen type and timing interact, and by viewing upfront breeding costs as an investment rather than an expense, farms can protect their replacement strategy and improve profitability across the herd.

Don’t Dig Yourself into a Heifer Shortage Hole

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:47:27 GMT

Strong beef prices have reshaped breeding strategies on many dairies, pushing more producers to use beef semen and capture the higher value of beef-on-dairy calves. But with fewer dairy pregnancies in the pipeline, some herds are now realizing they might have cut heifer inventories too deep.

During a recent episode of “The Dairy Podcast,” Michael Overton, global dairy platform lead in precision animal health with Zoetis, says the trend has been building for years.

“Dairy producers have been experiencing this really big boom in value for beef cross calves,” he explains. “Now, as a consequence of that, we’ve seen some producers become a bit overly aggressive with their breeding decisions, to the point where they’ve dug themselves in a little bit of a hole of not having enough heifers.”

When heifer numbers fall short, herds are left with two imperfect options: buy replacements or keep older cows longer to hold herd size steady. Both come with real costs. Purchased heifers are expensive and often lag behind home-raised genetics. Keeping older cows might feel like the easier path, but the losses tied to lower production, higher disease risk and reduced longevity add up faster than most producers expect.

The Hidden Cost of Holding Cows

On paper, holding cows longer can look like a smart workaround during a heifer shortage. Replacement costs appear to drop, and the cow still brings in milk revenue. But Overton cautions that once opportunity costs are included, the math flips.

For example, if a herd’s replacement rate drops from 38% to 34% because of low heifer inventories, the average market cow will stay in the herd 110 to 115 days longer. Older cows carry significantly higher risk, and when a cow dies late in lactation, the herd loses not only milk revenue but also the potential cull check, income many operations have come to depend on.

“A dead cow used to be painful,” adds Michigan State’s Barry Bradford, host of “The Dairy Podcast Show.” “Now it is financially devastating.”

High cull cow prices only complicate the decision. With Holstein cull cows selling at higher prices than they have in years, the check from the sale barn is tempting. But culling too aggressively without heifers ready to fill the gaps can leave the herd with costly production bottlenecks and an aging inventory.

Overton stresses that the true cost isn’t just the milk a cow produces today, it’s the milk a better, younger cow won’t produce if her stall is occupied by an animal past her economic prime.

“Just because you can sell a cow at a high price doesn’t mean you should if it leaves a hole in your herd,” he says.

Planning Ahead

Preventing a heifer shortage starts with setting clear, realistic targets.

“If your herd total number is not stable, that can be a big challenge,” Overton says.

He recommends looking back at the past two to four years to understand a herd’s true replacement rate, then raising enough heifers to cover normal turnover, plus a margin for unexpected losses or expansion. A major pitfall, he warns, is overestimating how many heifers actually make it to calving.

“The knee-jerk response is: ‘I got more than 90% of my heifers that calve in.’ And my response is, ‘No, I don’t believe it,‘” Overton says.

His data shows real heifer completion rates typically range from 75% to 80%. Failing to account for that 20% to 25% drop-off is one of the most common ways herds unintentionally dig themselves into a shortage. Once that hole forms, climbing out can take years of rebuilding.

Stay Ahead of Replacement Shortages

It’s easy to chase calf prices or cut costs, but not at the expense of creating a replacement shortage in your herd. Low heifer inventories hurt long before anyone notices, and the ripple effects reach every part of the operation.

The smartest herds stay ahead of the curve through disciplined, data-driven planning. Preventing the shortage is far easier, and far cheaper, than climbing out of it later.

Dairy and Beef-on-Dairy Cattle Sizzling Market Has Found a New Balance

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:14:31 GMT

The dairy cattle market, according to Jake Bettencourt, manager of Turlock Livestock Auction Yards (TLAY) Video Sales, has been experiencing a period of steadiness over the past six to eight months. While the trend over the past two years has shown a rise in the value of dairy replacements and beef-on-dairy cattle, the market seems to have found its balance. This positive stability is crucial for the dairy industry, allowing for growth and expansion, particularly in the Midwest and upper Midwest regions.

According to Bettencourt, dairy replacements prices seem to have settled, however, beef on dairy crosses not so much.

“The trend for the last two years or better has been the value of these dairy replacements were getting higher and higher,” Bettencourt says. “And for the last six to eight months, it just feels like we’ve kind of found a place to settle.”

A Conservative Approach to Growth
Internally, at TLAY, there has been an ongoing debate about whether to be cautious or optimistic about this upward trend. Bettencourt says there is confidence in the market’s potential to maintain its current levels for another 12 to 18 months. This optimism is based on the demand and supply dynamics observed, especially when it comes to younger replacement cattle, which appear to be valued at a high level.

“There is a growing demand towards younger dairy heifers,” he shares. “So, there’s growth on the horizon.”

This growth matches the need to supply the $8 billion dollars in processing investments forecast to come online in the next few years. Bettencourt says as long as cull cows and beef-on-dairy calves stay at the level they are at, the dairy replacement market will continue to perform well.

“I know it’s hard to wrap your head around it for some people, but these replacements really aren’t that high in relation to everything else,” he says.

Choices and Strategies for Producers
For dairy producers, the decision between focusing on beef-on-dairy calves or concentrating on growing replacements remains complex. Both strategies aim to maximize profitability and maintain herd health. While feed costs have been relatively reasonable, milk prices are not at level that generate significant profit, thus pushing producers to rely on cattle sales to support their operations.

“We’ve talked to some producers who are starting to make a few more dairy heifers,” Bettencourt shares, noting the good corn crop on the horizon will help keep feed costs relatively inexpensive. “However, when you throw in these cull cow and beef-on-dairy checks, that is true income and adding profitability to dairies.”

Holstein Versus Jersey: A Demand Perspective
When it comes to breed preferences, Bettencourt says Holsteins seem to be in slightly higher demand compared to Jerseys.

“There is a higher value of a beef-on-dairy calf that comes out of a Holstein compared to a beef-on-dairy calf that comes out of a Jersey or a Jersey cross, and there seems to be more availability in Jerseys than Holsteins right now,” he shares. “Holsteins are in slightly higher demand right now.”

Bettencourt says this has been the case for a while now. He also says there still is plenty of interest in Jersey and Jersey cross cattle, stating Jersey fresh cows and springers range from $2,700 to $3,200 and Holsteins anywhere from $3,500 to $4,100.

“In fact, I would say, of the expansions that we’re aware of, and we’ve been talking to customers about filling some of those procurements of replacements, it feels like there’s more growth and there’s more expansion where folks are looking for Jerseys and/or crosses,” he says.

Enthusiasm Remains
While challenges remain for those involved in the dairy industry, there is an overarching sense of optimism especially on the income derived from cull cows and beef-on-dairy calves.

Bettencourt says Jersey beef-on-dairy calves are going from $750 to $900 for day-old calves and Holstein beef-on-dairy calves are going anywhere from $1,200 to $1,350. He says a sale that they worked with sold dairy-on-beef cattle that weighed 550 lb. that went as high as $4.31 per pound.

“I mean, it seems like every other week there’s a new record,” he says. “It’s certainly supplementing income for these dairy producers.”

Dan Basse, president of AgResource Company emphasizes the production of beef-on-dairy crossbreds is critical for maintaining the industry’s current output levels.

“It is something that needs to be in every herd,” he says.

As the dairy industry continues adapting to market demands, there is hope that current positive trends will benefit producers for the foreseeable future. This balance offers a promising outlook for growth and stability within the industry.

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The Value of Dairy Replacements Continues to Surge

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 15:00:00 GMT

It’s still a seller’s market for dairy heifers and calves. Holstein springers once again topped out at $4,000 per head in Minnesota in the past month. Pipestone Livestock Market in Pipestone, Minn. reported a very strong market with lots of demand for dairy heifers. And Turlock Livestock Auction Yard in Turlock, Calif. sent a full potload of Holstein springers to the Midwest for $3,950 per head. Meanwhile, calves also continue to post historic highs, with dairy heifer calves exceeding $1,000 per head in Pennsylvania and beef-cross calves topping out at $1,650 per head in the same market.

Dairy Heifer Shortage Builds the Case for Older Cows

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 15:43:42 GMT

It’s no secret that dairy heifers are in short supply, and their prices are high.

An early 2025 USDA-estimated inventory of just 3.914 million head of dairy heifers over 500 pounds marks the lowest population of dairy heifers in the U.S. since 1978. Meanwhile, the U.S. beef cattle herd is the smallest it has been in 64 years, ramping up incentives for dairies to produce more high-value beef-cross calves.

The financial upshot: today it is common for Holstein springers to fetch record-shattering values of $4,000 per head or more. That makes it challenging for dairies to grow or maintain herd size affordably. Or does it?

Surprisingly, dairy herd size has actually grown by about 114,000 head in the last year – to a current population of 9.410 million head -- through the recent heifer shortage and price-a-palooza. And May 2025 year-over-year milk production was up 1.56%.

That means stalls are being filled by the elder stateswomen of dairies. Higher-parity cows that may have been replaced by their first-lactation counterparts a few years ago are now likely being retained longer. And that’s largely for the best, according to Ryan Leiterman, DVM, Director of Technical Services at Crystal Creek Natural LLC , Spooner, Wis.

“Until recently, many dairies were milking 35% of their herd as first-lactation heifers, and some were even milking 50% heifers,” shared Leiterman. “These heifers are not even at their mature bodyweight yet, and they lack experience in the milking string.”

Leiterman said older cows can be an asset for the following reasons:

They’re better producers – Cows typically hit their peak milk production in their third or fourth lactation. Statistically second-calf cows out-pace first-calf heifers by about 10 lb./cow/day, and third-and-great lactation cows outproduce second-calf cows by an additional 10 lb./cow/day.
Milking them is easier – Multiparous cows, especially those in their fourth lactation and beyond, have more developed mammary tissue and better milk letdown.
They know the drill – Older cows are better adapted to the specific conditions of the farm, such as milking schedules and environmental stressors. While first-calf heifers require training and are often more challenging to milk and manage, older cows have the routines down.

Still, the veterinarian acknowledged that higher-parity cows do come with problems. To maintain an older cow population, Leiterman said a dairy needs to be on top of its nutrition and management game to prevent early herd removal or altered production due to ketosis, milk fever, mastitis, lameness, and poor reproductive efficiency.

But by caring fastidiously for those older cows, Leiterman said dairies can amortize the cost of rearing replacement heifers – which now may exceed $2,500 per head – over more years of productive life. They also may require fewer heifers, so they can capitalize on beef-cross calf sales, or sell their excess heifers at a healthy profit.

Or plain old internal herd growth, without the need to purchase replacements for herd expansion, is another potential benefit. In any case, it’s rarely wrong to strive to keep productive cows in the herd as long as possible.

“While a farm with good cow longevity is not guaranteed to be profitable, a farm with short longevity due to a high involuntary culling rate is not likely to be profitable,” Leiterman stated.

Historically High Heifer Prices Start to Slow Down

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:25:57 GMT

Historically high values for springing Holstein heifers have backed down a bit over the past month. Turlock Livestock Auction Yard in Turlock, Calif. reported that softening milk prices were a tempering factor for springer prices at their most recent dairy auction. Nevertheless, the value of those close-up replacements still remains robust, taking a healthy bump into near $4,000/head range in Wisconsin in June, and surpassing that threshold in western Minnesota. Calf prices remain in bold territory, with Holstein heifer calves reaching $900/head in Wisconsin, and newborn beef-cross calves topping $1,500/head in Pennsylvania.

Dairy Heifer and Calf Values Remain in the Stratosphere

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 17:10:21 GMT

Prices for dairy replacement heifers and beef-cross calves remain out of this world, with both springers and newborn calves reaching astronomical levels. Holstein springers topped out in May at $4,200 per head in Pipestone, Minn., and newborn beef cross calves exceeded $1,600 per head in Wisconsin. How far and long this launch into record territory will last remains to be seen, but beef-cross breeding will continue to make a big bang in the markets for the foreseeable future.

According to the National Association of Animal Breeders , more than 81% of beef semen sold in the U.S. in 2024 was purchased by dairies, and USDA estimates predict the inventory of U.S. dairy heifers over 500 pounds will be the lowest ever recorded.

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Replacement Heifer Prices Hang in Record Territory

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 21:47:09 GMT

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, and calf prices continue to soar. Newborn beef-cross calves are bringing north of $1,000 per head nationwide. Ironically, those calves also are at least partially the source of climbing heifer values. In the January 2025 USDA Cattle Report , lactating dairy cows showed an annual tally of about 9.5 million head, up about 3,000 head from the previous year. But the count of dairy heifers 500 pounds and over fell nearly 40,000 head as dairy producers continue to reach for beef semen to raise high-in-demand crossbred calves. That demand is fueled by a dwindling U.S. beef cow herd, which the same report noted was the smallest in 64 years.

Heifer Prices

(Maureen Hanson)

Managing Heifer Inventories to Maintain Herd Size

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Market costs for replacements are at an all-time high, ranging between $3,000 and $4,000 per head. Iowa State University Extension calculated heifer raising costs in 2024 to be just over $2,600 for 24 months. The difference in the expenses provides a financial opportunity for dairy farms that can raise their own replacements. Heifer inventories need to ensure that herd size is maintained. The amount of heifers needed on the dairy to maintain herd size is highly impacted by age at first calving and herd culling rates.

Age at First Calving

Heifers are unique to the farm in that they are the future of the dairy farm but do not provide income to the farm until they have their first calf. The optimal first calving age ranges between 22 and 24 months. According to Iowa State estimates, reducing the age at first calving by a month will save the dairy $93 per heifer. However, research has shown that calving too early (< 21 months) would hurt profitability in the long run because heifers would not reach their full milk production potential.

Proper growth rates are extremely important to reach optimal age at first calving. Body weight determines when heifers reach puberty, around 45 to 50% of mature weight. Too low of average daily gain can delay puberty, which then will have a snowball effect by delaying time to first breeding and age at first calving.

Delaying the age at first calving costs money and increases the heifer inventory needed to maintain herd size. A herd of 100 milking cows needs 5 to 6 more additional heifers for every two-month increase of age at first calving when their culling rate is 30%.

Culling Rate

To no surprise, the rate at which animals leave the herd has a significant impact on the replacement inventory. A herd of 100 milking cows with an age of first calving of 24 months needs an additional 4 to 5 heifers with every 2% increase in culling rate. Therefore, increasing the culling rate from 22% to 32% would require 22 additional heifers to keep the milking herd size at 100.

High market prices for heifers can significantly increase farm income for farms with excessive replacements. However, heifer inventories should be monitored closely. Small changes in culling rate and age at first calving significantly impact the number of replacements needed.

Your Next Read: The 5 Big Market Trends Dairy Farmers Need to Keep Their Eye on this Year

Why Are Cow Numbers Increasing?

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:00:00 GMT

One of the more common questions I’ve received has been, “If heifer supplies are tight, how can cow numbers increase as much as they have?” Of course, there is disbelief in the reports as some believe the USDA is reporting wrong numbers. That is a common theme throughout the agricultural industry, with all USDA reports questioned for accuracy depending on whether the individual is on the wrong side of the market or if the numbers are different from what the person anticipated. We have all had these thoughts from time to time.

Farmers Holding on to More Cows
High heifer prices and a tight supply have resulted in farmers holding on to more cows. The bar for milk production is lowered as it would be very costly to buy a replacement heifer. It makes sense to have lower milk production from a cow already owned than to buy a replacement heifer, which will take some time to pay for itself before it can make money.

Reduced Culling and Growing Herd Numbers
The monthly slaughter reports have shown substantial decreases in dairy cattle slaughter over the past year. This has allowed cow numbers to increase to 9.405 million head in February. This is the largest herd since May 2023. Culling has decreased due to higher heifer prices, but also because farmers do not need to cull cows as much to generate extra income to pay bills.

Beef-on-Dairy’s Impact
A substantial amount of money is being generated from beef-on-dairy. These calves are bringing phenomenal prices, adding significantly to the farm income. This has tightened the heifer supply substantially and has allowed the dairy herd to increase as lower-producing cows are being held.

Milk Production and Herd Composition
Milk per cow may be reduced somewhat, as some of the cows in the herds will produce less milk as they are older or have less genetic capability than a heifer. However, higher cow numbers will make up some or all of the difference, keeping milk production strong. The evidence of this was seen in the February milk production report, as milk production was higher than the previous year when the adjustment was made for leap day.

Butter Inventory and Market Impact
The February Cold Storage report was neutral to the market, indicating prices have little reason to change much from the sideways direction they have established. The most significant category was butter, with the inventory gaining 44.8 million pounds. This was a large increase considering there was one less day this year than in February 2024. Historical gains in butter inventory for the year following leap year showed limited gains and sometimes even declines. Interestingly, the USDA revised January stocks down 9.5 million pounds from what they initially reported. That was an unusually large revision, reducing the bearishness of the January report but adding to the bearishness of the February report.

Limited Upside for Butter Prices
Unless butter demand improves significantly, the price will remain rangebound for an extended period. Sellers continue to offer loads to the spot market as they limit the increase in manufacturing inventories. They have no desire to hold for higher prices as they see limited upside potential. Buyers have been able to purchase supplies for immediate orders and purchase for later demand without the need to chase the market higher. Butter is being frozen for later, limiting the need to purchase butter when demand seasonally improves.

Your Next Read: From Farm to ‘Shark Tank:' One East Coast Dairy’s Eco-Friendly Pitch

Robin Schmahl is a commodity broker with AgDairy, the dairy division of John Stewart & Associates Inc. (JSA). JSA is a full-service commodity brokerage firm based out of St. Joseph, MO. Robin’s office is located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Robin may be reached at 877-256-3253 or through the website www.agdairy.com .

The thoughts expressed and the basic data from which they are drawn are believed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Hypothetical or simulated performance results have certain inherent limitations. Simulated results do not represent actual trading. Simulated trading programs are subject to the benefit of hindsight. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown. There is risk of loss in trading commodity futures and options on futures. It may not be suitable for everyone. This material has been prepared by an employee or agent of JSA and is in the nature of a solicitation. By accepting this communication, you acknowledge and agree that you are not, and will not rely solely on this communication for making trading decisions.

Don’t Mismanage Heifer Mastitis

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 13:42:07 GMT

Nobody would want to show up to their first day on the job sick, but that’s exactly what happens when a first-lactation animal enters the milking herd with mastitis. In fact, between 29% to 74% of heifers have mastitis pathogens present before calving, and an estimated 12% to 57% end up contracting the infection at first calving.

According to Amber Yutzy, a dairy Extension educator for Pennsylvania State University, few dairy heifers exhibit clinical signs of mastitis before they calve. However, just one S. aureus infection can cause scar tissue to form in the udder. This can reduce the amount of secretory tissue, resulting in 10% less milk in the first lactation.

But how do heifers contract this costly disease in the first place? While there’s not a clear answer yet, studies have shown that teat canals of heifer calves can become colonized at very young ages. Therefore, it’s necessary to start taking mastitis precautions long before heifers enter the milking herd.

Prevention

Studies have shown that contagious mastitis organisms live primarily in the udders of infected cows and are spread to heifers when they are fed non-pasteurized milk or colostrum. This milk does not spread pathogens directly from the digestive tract to the udder, but calves most likely spread the pathogens by licking their udder or legs after consuming raw milk and these pathogens can remain infectious for variable periods of time. In order to help control the spread of contagious mastitis bacteria to calves and heifers, Yutzy recommends the following:

Pasteurize raw milk that is fed to calves. Avoid feeding waste milk from cows that are infected with mastitis.
Use individual stalls for pre-weaned calves.
Cull calves who suckle other calves.
Do not use freshening pens for sick cows.
Routinely culture milk from cows who are chronically infected with mastitis. This will help to identify those in the milking herd who have contagious mastitis.
Properly handle chronically infected cows to limit the spread of bacteria within the milking herd.

Control

While working to prevent mastitis in heifers is crucial, it’s also imperative to control the risk of bacteria being spread within the heifer’s environment. Most risk factors that contribute to the development of mastitis in heifers are related to exposure of heifers to mastitis causing organisms, Yutzy says. The hygiene of the environment is important to limit the risk of developing mastitis in heifers. She suggests the following tips to help control environmental mastitis.

All non-lactating heifers should be housed in an area that is well-bedded, dry and clean.
Non-lactating heifers should be housed in an environment that provides significant space for all animals. Overcrowding causes cleanliness issues.
Flies should be controlled in all groups of animals on the farm.
Feeding a well-balanced diet can enhance the immune system.
Developing routine vaccination protocols can boost immune response.

Dairy Heifer, Calf Values Remain Robust

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 01:48:55 GMT

It continues to be a seller’s market for dairy replacement heifers, heifer calves, and beef-cross calves. Prices for top-quality Holstein springers continue to hit $4,000 at the top end. Pot loads of Holstein springers averaged $3,350-3,700 at the February sale at the Turlock Livestock Auction Yard in Turlock, Calif., with “cattle headed all over the western and midwestern U.S. with strong demand.”

Calf prices, too, are hanging in strong, with beef-cross calves hitting new highs of $1,200/head. For Holstein heifer calves, the most recent USDA National Dairy Comprehensive Report lists an average price of $588.25/cwt., which closely aligns with reported markets. For reference, that same value a year ago was $159.20/cwt., and 5 years ago it was $29.08/cwt.

	Springing Heifers		Heifer Calves	Beef Cross Calves
Location (sale date)	Supreme/ Top	Approved/ Medium	90-120 pounds	60-100 pounds

Turlock, Calif. (2-21-25)	$3000- $4,000	$2,500- $2,900
Lomira, Wis. (2-28-25)	$1,800- $2,400	$1,200- $1,700	$350- $500	$680- $1,200
Pipestone, Minn. (2-20-25)	$3,850- $3,900	$3,600- $3,850	No test	No test
New Holland, Pa. (2-24-25)	No report	No report	$500- $975	$825- $1,210

Can You Afford Today’s High-Priced Heifers?

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:50:02 GMT

Does it make financial sense to purchase dairy replacement heifers in today’s white-hot market?

Maybe. Or maybe not, according to a pair of University of Florida Dairy Extension Specialists.

Albert de Vries and Russ Giesy developed a spreadsheet [available here ] more than 20 years ago to help individual dairies determine how much they could afford to spend on replacement heifers.

The handy tool was developed specifically for dairies with vacant spots that could be filled with new heifers to maximize herd capacity – but not as a method to decide whether to replace a cow with a heifer. It also does not take tax considerations into account.

Values for receipts and revenues in the initial spreadsheet examples were based on the Dairy Business Analysis Project, compiling results from an annual survey of the financials from dairy farms in Florida and Georgia.

When the spreadsheet was developed, replacement heifers were trading at $1,000-2,000/head compared to today’s market of $3,000-4,000 head. But calf values – a part of the calculation matrix – also were hovering around $100/head then. That’s up to 10 times less than today’s calf prices. Cull cow prices – another factor built into the formula – were also considerably lower than today.

The spreadsheet also offers alternative results based on changes in expenses and milk yield compared to a herd’s base calculation. The authors noted that whether expenses are fixed or variable can dramatically change the maximum worth of a heifer.
In some cases, for example, labor could be entered at $0, because fixed labor needs would not change appreciably with the addition of one or a modest number of heifers. Other expenses that might be considered fixed include crop production, milk marketing, and depreciation.

The spreadsheet’s value lies in that it calculates results based on individual herd data, which can vary significantly. But plugging in experimental values in line with today’s overall market and production conditions shows that $4,000 replacement heifers could be a realistic investment for many herds.

Your Next Read: Where Will the Replacement Heifers Come From?

Where Will the Replacement Heifers Come From?

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

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.

At the center of the current conversation: heifers, and more specifically, lack of them. In the most recent USDA Cattle Inventory report, released January 31, 2025, the inventory of dairy heifers weighing 500 pounds or more totaled just 3.914 million head. That’s the lowest count for that population since 1978.

Included in the total are heifers expected to calve into the milking herd in 2025, estimated at 2.5 million head. That figure has dropped precipitously every year since 2017, when about 600,000 head of additional heifers freshened. The current number of heifers expected to calve is also the lowest since the USDA began tracking that figure in 2001.

The shift in heifer population nearly identically mirrors the adoption of beef crossbreeding to add more value to non-replacement dairy cattle. It’s currently doing just that. With the U.S. beef cow herd size also hovering at near-historic, low levels, demand for those beef-cross calves is high, leading to almost-unheard-of prices of $1,000/head or more for newborn calves.

Likewise, springing heifers are scarce -- and expensive -- on the open market. Holstein springers started topping $4,000/head on the high end in Pipestone, Minn. toward the end of 2024. And at the Turlock Livestock Auction Yard’s January Dairy Video Sale in Turlock, Calif., potloads of Holstein and Jersey springers brought an average of $3,650-3,700 and $2,750-2,900/head, respectively.

Tight heifer supplies mean herds are generally creating just enough heifers to meet their projected replacement needs. Meanwhile, the nation’s milking herd is not growing, continuing to hover at around 9.35 million head.
What remains to be seen is whether an aging dairy herd will affect total milk production if producers hang onto cows longer before marketing them for beef. Any hiccup, like bird flu or another unforeseen challenge, could leave producers scrambling to maintain herd size.

Finally, while many factors remain in play, one benefit of the changing supply-and-demand dynamic could be a boost in milk prices. The all-milk price forecast for 2025 is $23.05 per hundredweight, up about 50 cents year-over-year. A shift in heifer supplies will take at least two years to happen, so those benefits could be enjoyed relatively long term.

Your Next Read: Dairy’s Gold Rush: Replacements Heifers and Beef-on-Dairy Calves

Rising Beef Prices and Demand Fuel Big Change for the Dairy Industry

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 15:30:00 GMT

The beef cattle industry is evolving, and dairy producers are playing a pivotal role in that transformation. At the 2025 CattleCon, hosted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in San Antonio, Texas, Lance Zimmerman, a senior beef analyst at RaboBank, joined Agri-Talk host Chip Flory to break down the latest USDA Cattle Inventory Report.

Beef Demand Drives More Crossbreds
Despite the U.S. beef cattle inventory hitting a 64-year low, strong consumer demand has propelled beef prices to record highs throughout 2024 and into 2025.

“We’re sitting here today coming out of 2024 with higher per-capita beef consumption than we had in 2022, and we thought that was the cycle high. And yet, we are pushing record-high beef prices—demand is exceptionally good,” Zimmerman noted.

With beef prices remaining strong, dairy producers have fine-tuned their repro programs to capitalize on these market conditions. Many are utilizing sexed dairy semen on their highest-performing cows to ensure a steady supply of replacement heifers while breeding the rest of the herd with beef semen. This approach results in crossbred calves better suited for beef production, offering improved feed efficiency, enhanced carcass characteristics, and greater market appeal compared to straight dairy steers.

The Ripple Effect
Even as more dairy producers adopt beef-on-dairy breeding strategies, overall calf numbers have remained stable. “We had a very prolific cow herd last year,” Zimmerman noted. “And I think part of that is due to the beef-on-dairy mix. We’re keeping these cattle viable longer and managing them more intentionally with better health, genetics, and overall care throughout the system.”

One notable outcome of this shift on the dairy side of the equation is a tighter supply of dairy replacement heifers, which has contributed to rising prices. “We have dairy replacement heifers that have hit $4,000 a head in some areas,” Zimmerman said, emphasizing the supply constraints caused by more selective breeding practices.

USDA data confirms this supply squeeze. The latest annual Cattle Report revealed that as of January 1, only 3.914 million dairy heifers were available nationwide—a 0.9% drop from the previous year and the lowest inventory recorded since 1978. Additionally, USDA made a significant downward revision to its 2024 estimate, cutting its projection by 108,000 heifers to 3.951 million.

Another factor influencing cattle supply is the ongoing decline in veal production. “We’ve seen a long-term trend of fewer calves going into veal production, and that’s expedited in recent years,” Zimmerman noted. This shift means that more dairy progeny calves are staying in the fed cattle supply, further reinforcing the beef-on-dairy movement.

Beef Demand Holds Strong
While the genetic landscape of the beef supply chain is transforming, consumer demand remains resilient. “The strength of demand has been incredible—beef demand is at 30-year highs,” Zimmerman said. He points out that, despite rising prices, beef remains relatively affordable compared to historical income ratios. “In 2014-15, the average consumer had to work 14 and a half minutes to afford a pound of beef. In 2024, they only have to work 13 minutes.”

With consumer demand for beef remaining strong, the beef-on-dairy sector has become a crucial asset to the beef industry. It has also helped dairy farmers diversify by adding a second source of income during a time when milk price margins continue to remain tight.

Click here to hear Zimmerman’s full conversation with Chip Flory on Agri-Talk.

We've Reached the Lowest Replacement Herd Since 1978

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 20:32:24 GMT

It’s starting to become a familiar story. Heifer inventories remain exceedingly tight, and the lack of replacements is likely to constrain milk production growth over the coming year. This year, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) also continues to threaten milk production at a time when many producers would like to expand, according to Monica Ganley, analyst with the Daily Dairy Report and principal in Quarterra, an agricultural consulting firm in Buenos Aries.

As of February 4, 957 dairy herds in 16 states had been affected by HPAI, according to the Centers for Disease Control, but the numbers are likely much higher. More than two-thirds of the dairy herds in California have been affected by the virus. In November, California posted an unprecedented 7.9-percent year-over-year drop in Milk production followed by a 6.8-percent decline in December. While the production loss for an individual herd is relatively short-lived, many key dairy states have yet to see any cases, and if the virus continues to spread so too will losses in milk production.

“Dairy producer margins are strong, and under normal circumstances, high enough to encourage producers to grow milk production by expanding their herds, but the heifers just aren’t available,” Ganley said. Part of the reason for the lack of replacement heifers is that the beef herd is also rebuilding.

“Biological necessity suggests that it will take a couple years to build back the beef herd, and as a result, beef prices will likely remain elevated for the foreseeable future,” Ganley said. “In response, dairy producers will continue embracing the lucrative beef-on-dairy strategy, keeping dairy heifer inventories limited.”

The recent annual Cattle report showed that as of January 1, only 3.914 million head of dairy heifers were available nationwide. That’s a 0.9% decrease from the prior year and the lowest recorded inventory since 1978, according to USDA data. USDA also made an aggressive downward revision to its 2024 estimate, dropping its estimate by 108,000 heifers to 3.951 million.

Dairy Heifer Inventory

(Fran Howard)

“USDA’s revision shows that year’s situation was even more severe than previously believed,” Ganley noted. “Looking ahead, little optimism remains for a quick rebuilding of the national dairy herd. Of the already tight heifer numbers, only 2.5 million are expected to calve and enter the milking herd this year.” That’s 0.4% fewer than at the start of 2024, she added.

“USDA’s Cattle report confirmed the anecdotal information that has been circulatingaround the industry over the past several months,” Ganley noted. “Record-high beef prices underpinned by a dwindling beef herd have encouraged dairy producers to embrace the beef-on-dairy strategy through which they use semen from beef bulls to breed dairy cows. The resulting crossbred calf can be sold to a feedlot for a healthy price, and these calves have become a critical component of dairy producer revenue.”

At the New Holland auction in Pennsylvania in late January, newborn Holstein bull calves were selling for an average of nearly $704, a relatively high price historically. But crossbred bull calves were selling for more than $986.

Until the beef and heifer herds recover and avian flu outbreaks among dairy farms subside, milk production gains will be limited, she said.

Your Next Read: Beef-on-Dairy: A Critical Solution to the Shrinking U.S. Cattle Herd

Historically Low Inventories Supercharge Dairy Heifer Values

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

The USDA’s January 2025 Cattle Inventory Report revealed that we are living in historic times in terms of the U.S. dairy heifer population. The nation’s dairy heifer inventory dipped another 0.4% in the past year, adding to a cumulative decline of nearly 7% in the past 5 years.

In 2025, just 2.5 million head of dairy replacement heifers are expected to calve into the milking herd, the lowest level since USDA started tracking the metric in 2001. Less than a decade ago, that figure peaked at more than 3.0 million head. This illustrates a sharp contrast in dairy heifer inventories in recent years, and closely parallels the advent and growth of beef-on-dairy breeding. And replacement heifer values show it, breaking the $4,000/head mark last month in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, a continually shrinking U.S. beef cow herd, due in part to high market cow values, is keeping demand high for those beef-cross calves. They topped out at a whopping $1,100+ per head in two reported markets this month.

	Springing Heifers		Heifer Calves	Beef Cross Calves
Location (sale date)	Supreme/ Top	Approved/ Medium	90-120 pounds	60-100 pounds

Turlock, Calif. (1-24-25)	No test	$2,400- $2,800
Lomira, Wis. (1-31-25)	$1,800- $2,400	$1,200- $1,700	$250- $500	$680- $1,100
Pipestone, Minn. (1-16-25)	$3,700- $4,150	$3,400- $3,700	No test	No test
New Holland, Pa. (1-27-25)	No report	No report	$410- $700	$800- $1,160

Heifer Prices Start the New Year Strong

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 20:00:05 GMT

Even though trading is typically light through the holidays, springing dairy heifers remain a hot commodity nationwide. Holstein springers again topped out at $4,250/head in Pipestone, Minn. this month, with other reporting markets also hanging in strong.

The December 2024 Dairy Video Sale at the Turlock Livestock Auction Yard saw nearly 500 head of Jersey springers bring a solid $2,400-2,500/head. Beef-cross calves remain a seller’s dream, still fetching up to nearly $1,000/head on the top end.

	Springing Heifers		Heifer Calves	Beef Cross Calves
Location (sale date)	Supreme/ Top	Approved/ Medium	90-120 pounds	60-100 pounds

Turlock, Calif. (1-3-25)	$2,500- $3,150	$2,200- $2,450
Lomira, Wis. (1-3-25)	$1,800- $2,400	$1,200- $1,700	$250- $500	$620- $950
Pipestone, Minn. (12-19-24)	$3,800- $4,250	$3,600- $3,800	No test	No test
New Holland, Pa. (1-2-25)	No report	No report	$400- $500	$675- $950

Your Next Read: Milk Production Forecasts Cut For 2024 And 2025: Will Prices See Any Growth?

Keep Replacement Heifers Thriving this Winter: Three Expert Tips You Need to Know

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:51:20 GMT

When dairy farmers think about animals impacted by cold stress, calves are often the first that come to mind. Their smaller size and limited fat reserves make them especially vulnerable to harsh winter conditions. However, it’s important to remember that cold stress doesn’t just affect calves—it can also significantly impact heifers.

Younger animals, like post-weaned heifers, are particularly susceptible as they have less developed coats, and higher energy needs to maintain their core body temperature. For dairy farmers, understanding the signs of cold stress and implementing preventative measures across all age groups in the herd is essential for maintaining health, productivity, and growth during the winter months. While calves often receive extra attention, ensuring proper care for heifers and older animals can make a big difference in the overall success of the operation during the colder seasons. For these replacements to grow and thrive, dairy farmers must take proactive steps to prevent cold stress and minimize associated health issues.

Daniela Roland, dairy extension educator at Pennsylvania State University, provides the following tips for providing adequate care to replacement heifers during frigid temps.

Understanding Cold Stress

While lactating cows are relatively tolerant of cold temperatures and can handle conditions below 18°F when equipped with a heavy winter coat, young heifers face challenges at temperatures below 32°F.

“Normally, a heifer’s winter coat, plus their natural metabolic processes, like rumination, can keep them warm,” Roland says. “But during extremely cold temperatures - especially if there is inadequate housing, lack of dry bedding, insufficient nutrition, or a combination of these - heifers may experience cold stress.”

Housing and Bedding

Dry, well-bedded pens are essential to help heifers tolerate winter conditions. Bedding materials like straw, shavings, or corn fodder should be clean, dry, and absorbent to retain body heat.

“One way to test the dryness of heifer pens is the knee test,” Roland says. “To do this, try dropping to your knees in several areas around the pen. If your knees are still clean and dry after 10–15 seconds of kneeling on the bedding, then the bedding is sufficient. But if your pants are dirty or damp, more fresh bedding should be added.”

Wet or muddy coats reduce the insulating properties of a heifer’s hair, also increasing their susceptibility to cold stress. Excess manure or mud buildup should prompt farmers to add fresh bedding or clean pens more frequently.

Additionally, heifer housing should allow for adequate air exchange without creating drafts. Insufficient ventilation can increase the risk of respiratory diseases like bovine respiratory disease (BRD), which costs farmers an average of $252 per case and can delay a heifer’s growth and first calving, according to Roland.

Proper heifer housing is another critical factor to consider during cold weather. Housing should shield heifers from environmental extremes such as harsh winds, heavy snow, and freezing temperatures while maintaining a comfortable and healthy environment.

One key aspect of housing is ventilation. While barns and shelters must prevent drafts, they should also allow for proper air exchange to reduce humidity and prevent the buildup of harmful gases like ammonia. It’s essential to monitor heifers for signs of respiratory distress, such as coughing, labored breathing, or nasal discharge, as these could indicate inadequate airflow or other health issues. If respiratory problems are detected, improving ventilation should be a priority.

Heifers housed outside also need special attention.

“Heifers housed outdoors need to have access to either natural or constructed windbreaks,” Roland adds. “Wind significantly reduces the actual temperature, increasing cold stress on heifers.”

Nutrition for Winter Growth

In colder weather, heifers expend more energy to stay warm, making proper nutrition vital. Farmers should aim for daily growth rates of 1.75 pounds for large breeds and 1.3 pounds for smaller breeds to ensure heifers reach optimal breeding size.

“Data has shown that undersized heifers may calve later than the desired age range of 22 to 24 months. These smaller heifers tend to be more prone to calving problems and less productive,” Roland says. “Farmers should work with their nutritionist to make sure that their heifers have enough energy in their diet to help protect them from the cold weather and to ensure proper growth.”

Water Access

Water availability is another critical factor in winter care. Frozen or excessively cold water can limit intake, reducing feed consumption and energy availability.

“Dairy heifers between the ages of 5 and 24 months will drink about 3.8 to 9.6 gallons of water per day,” Roland adds. “Monitoring for frozen waterers is important during the extreme colder temperatures.”

Why It Matters

Investing in proper heifer care during winter ensures these replacements grow to their genetic potential and transition into productive lactating cows. By focusing on housing, bedding, nutrition, and water, farmers can safeguard their herd’s health, prevent growth setbacks, and optimize future productivity. Taking these steps helps ensure your heifers thrive, even in the coldest months.

Heifer Prices Hit Astonishing Values: It's a Seller's Market

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:07:04 GMT

High-quality Holstein springers topped the market at a stunning $4,250 per head at the Pipestone Livestock Auction in Pipestone, Minn. in late November. Prices softened a bit in California compared to last month, but still remain above $3,000 on the high end -- well above the cost of production.

At the Turlock Livestock Auction Yard November 2024 Dairy Video Sale, two lots of 40 Holstein springers sold for $3,250/head, and three lots of 50 Jersey springers brought $2,475/head. Calves remain strong as well, with Holstein heifer calves fetching $250-775/head, and beef-cross calves still surpassing the $1,000/head mark in spot markets.

	Springing Heifers		Heifer Calves	Beef Cross Calves
Location (sale date)	Supreme/ Top	Approved/ Medium	90-120 pounds	60-100 pounds

Turlock, Calif (11-22-24)	$2,600- $3,475	$1,800- $2,500	--	--
Lomira, Wis (11-29-24)	$1,800- $2,400	$1,200- $1,700	$250- $400	$550- $1,020
Pipestone, Minn. (11-21-24)	$4,000- $4,250	$3,750- $4,000	No test	No test
New Holland, Pa. (10-24-24)	No report	No report	$325- $775	$700- $1,025

Your Next Read: The Last Frontier: The Story of Alaska’s Only Dairy Farm

Replacement Heifer Prices Hit Monumental Highs

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Compared to 5 years ago, today’s Holstein springer values are double to triple and still on the rise. As an example, October 2019 prices for high-quality springers in Turlock, Calif. ranged from $1,300-1,600/head, compared to $2,800-3,600 for the same month in 2024. Even compared to a year ago, springer values have seen a healthy bump, jumping from $2,400-2,675 in Pipestone, Minn. in October 2023 to about $3,700-3,850 today.

Calf prices, too, have made a stunning transformation. In October 2019, Holstein heifer calves were practically being given away at $5-50/head in one Wisconsin market, and $18-26/head at another in Pennsylvania. Today’s heifer calf values hang steadily in the $300-500 range nationwide, as beef-cross calves also continue a mind-boggling run with current values still sometimes exceeding $1,000/head. In the most recent Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Report , USDA economists predict that tight dairy replacement heifer inventories will keep a lid on U.S. milk production as producers hang onto aging cows to keep their stalls full.

	Springing Heifers		Heifer Calves	Beef Cross Calves
Location (sale date)	Supreme/Top	Approved/Medium	90-120 pounds	60-100 pounds

Turlock, Calif. (10-25-24)	$2,800-3,600	$2,000-2,700	--	--
Lomira, Wis. (10-30-24)	$1,800-2,400	$1,200-1,700	$290-550	$700-1,080
Pipestone, Minn. (10-17-24)	$3,700-3,850	$3,500-3,700	No test	No test
New Holland, Pa. (10-24-24)	No report	No report	$500-775	$750-1,050

Why Some Farmers are Making the Big Switch from Dairy to Beef Production

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:05:59 GMT

While beef-on-dairy production continues to grow in the U.S., it was a novel concept in 2018 when it came to the attention of Ryan Sterry, regional dairy educator with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.

“A few colleagues and myself were noticing more chatter about this, more farms were experimenting with it,” Sterry recalls.

Fast forward to 2024, and beef-on-dairy is a significant trend that continues to build. CattleFax predicts U.S. beef-on-dairy cattle numbers will reach between 4 million and 5 million head – roughly 15% of the cattle harvested annually – as early as 2026.

In a wide-ranging conversation on The Dairy Podcast Show with host Dr. Gail Carpenter, state dairy Extension specialist for Iowa, Sterry shared some of his early insights and experiences with beef-on-dairy as well as other business opportunities producers have enbraced.

“We’re seeing all sorts of different strategies out there today,” he says. “Some producers say, ‘We’re just going to deal with the milking herd,’ because they can source their replacement heifers, more economically and get better genetics, from another herd. I have other producers who have backed off from beef-on-dairy because they have an outlet for fresh heifers, and that’s another business strategy for them.”

Still, other dairy producers, because of low milk prices in recent years, have decided to transition to beef production. Sterry says he and colleague Bill Halfman, University of Wisconsin Extension beef outreach specialist, have worked with a number of dairy producers who have decided to move exclusively to beef.

Sterry outlines five areas for dairy producers wanting to make the move to beef to think through in the process of making the switch:

1. Start With The Right Animal

Sterry says it’s important for producers to know their goals as they select breeding stock.

While some producers opt to use their home-grown crossbred heifers as breeding stock for starting their beef enterprise, Sterry doesn’t encourage the practice. The reason – because a beef cow could be in the herd for eight years or longer, and will have a long-lasting impact on production quality, he encourages producers to start their beef enterprise with full-blooded animals.

“The caution that we definitely want to put out there is those animals are going to retain some dairy characteristics in their genetics for generations down the line,” he says.

His recommendation: “Decide what emphasis on growth, carcass and maternal traits best fit your production and marketing goals and seek out those cattle to create a solid foundation.”

2. Evaluate Facilities

Dairy operations can often be retrofitted or revamped successfully for beef production. Sterry says bunk and housing space need to be evaluated to prevent the potential for crowding.

Also, consider whether any facilities need repairs or if there are potential hazards that need to be addressed prior to bringing animals into building facilities or lots.

3. Nutritional Needs

“In the transition from dairy to beef, one of the bigger things that we start talking about is that feeding a beef animal is different,” Sterry says. “You’ll need to adjust your expectations for the nutrition program in a cow herd as there’s not multiple rations being used.”

Instead, cow-calf and stocker operations typically rely more on forages such as pasture, crop residues, cover crops and harvested forages.

“Feed costs are approximately 60% of the annual costs of cow-calf enterprises. Letting the cows harvest their own feed by grazing and managing harvested feed storage and feeding waste are critical for controlling costs,” Sterry says.

He adds that finely ground corn is not a good fit in beef finishing rations and can cause rumen acidosis.

“Coarse corn is better for beef animals. Ultra-fine ground corn does not work well, and that’s something we’ve had to uneducate some of our dairy producers on,” he says.

4. Stockmanship Requirements

Sterry says dairy producers often tell him that because they’ve worked with cattle all their life they don’t need to work on their handling practices. But Sperry says beef cattle are a different animal.

“Beef cattle are not used to being handled every day, so dairy producers need to give some thought to stockmanship,” he says.

Part of the reason he emphasizes that is for practical safety considerations. Plus, cattle remember how they were handled in the past, and their behavior – whether skittish or compliant – will often reflect what they remember.

5. The Need to Market Versus Sell

Sterry says dairy producers are often accustomed to selling week-old calves and market cows they don’t want to hang on to for too long.

“When we’re trying to move them off the farm on a timely basis, a lot of times we’re selling ones and twos every week or every other week. With beef cattle, we frame the process as needing to market versus just sell,” he says.

To educate themselves, Sterry encourages dairy producers to attend local sales to see what kind of beef animal buyers are looking to purchase.

“With marketing, you’re advocating for yourself with a buyer, putting the best group of cattle together that you can, and trying to move away from the mentality of ‘I’ll just sell ones and twos,’” he says. “It’s an education process, and sitting through some sales can help.”

The complete conversation between Sterry and Carpenter is available here: Ryan Sterry: Beef x Dairy Crossing

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High Heifer Prices Come Roaring Back to Life

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 16:12:07 GMT

After a slight pull-back last month, Holstein springer values have come roaring back, jumping more than $1,000/head on the top end in California. All reporting markets saw increases as producers continue to scramble in securing heifers. In addition to their regular weekly sale, Tulare Livestock Auction Yard in California reported values from their September 6 video auction of $3,250/head for a load of Texas-based Holstein springers, and $2,300-2,525/head for a load of Jersey springers from Texas. Holstein heifer calf prices continue to post wide ranges, while beef-cross calves are still hovering at highs in the neighborhood of $1,000/head in several locations nationwide.

	Springing Heifers		Heifer Calves	Beef Cross Calves
Location (sale date)	Supreme/Top	Approved/Medium	90-120 pounds	60-100 pounds

Turlock, Calif. (9-23-24)	$2,850-3,800	$1,800-2,750	--	--
Lomira, Wis. (10-4-24)	$1,800-2,400	$1,200-1,700	$180-300	$680-990
Pipestone, Minn. (9-19-24)	$3,300-3,500	$2,550-3,300	$300-325	$375-725
New Holland, Pa. (9-26-24)	No report	No report	$725-900	$375-1,050