Replacements
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.
The modern dairy cow is bigger than ever. To maximize her performance, raisers must be attentive to growth starting at birth.
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.
The national shortage of dairy replacement heifers is beginning to bear out more distinctly in heifer prices.
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.
Calf prices continue to surge to new heights, with reports of newborn beef-cross bottle calves fetching upward of $1,000 per head.
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.
Higher prices for beef calves are incentivizing dairy producers to breed crossbred bull calves
The total U.S. dairy replacement heifer herd is down about 14,000 head compared to the start of 2023.
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.
How helpful would it be to look inside live calves to inspect their lung condition? That’s now possible with the same ultrasound technology veterinarians use to diagnose pregnancies.
Along with the many other challenges that winter presents for calf and heifer raisers, the risk of pneumonia in young stock goes up as the mercury goes down.
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?
A popular combination of enhancements in calf starter rations has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for replacement heifers.
What would you think of a nutrient that improved preweaned calf rate of gain by 33%, yet cost next to nothing? Surely this would be another claim for “foo-foo” dust, correct?
Dairy replacement heifer values continue to gain ground after years of anemic prices.
Heifer availability has tightened, and prices have increased substantially. One reason is the interest that has developed in beef-on-dairy calves.
Holstein heifer calf values are at moderate levels less than $200/head. Male and beef-cross calves, on the other hand, are through the roof.
The U.S. milk-cow herd could soon stabilize as dairy profits improve.
Butter and springer prices caught the dairy industry by surprise in late September.
Dairy cow culling is at near-record levels and scorching August heat has docked milk production throughout most of the country.
Holstein springing heifer values have held together in the past month despite a noteworthy contraction of the national dairy herd.
Despite faltering milk prices and an uptick in dairy cow culling nationwide, Holstein springer values stayed relatively steady from May to June 2023.
Individually housed calves can take up to two days to find feed and water when they are first comingled with others at weaning.