Replacements
For now, springers are holding their own and Holstein heifer calves actually posted healthy gains.
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.
Raising heifers is expensive, to be sure. But in the long run, raising them right is far more important than raising them cheap.
Holstein springer values remained steady to slightly higher in the past month, amidst a fairly monumental sell-off of lactating dairy cows nationwide.
After incurring the investment to raise a heifer to freshening age, a difficult calving is the last thing you want as she attempts to enter the milking string.
Holstein springer values finally are approaching cost of production in many U.S. markets.
Dairy replacement heifer values are off to a checkered start to 2023.
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.
When it comes to the optimal time for breeding, size is more important than age.
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.
Holstein springers ended November with healthy value gains in California and Pennsylvania.
Holstein springer values nationwide remained relatively unchanged in the past month, even as the nation’s dairy herd size grows.
Aggressively consuming dry feeds is the gateway to healthy weaning for young dairy calves.
Giving a second feeding of colostrum to dairy calves can help increase successful passive transfer.
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.
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.
Two dairy farms of different sizes and scales share how they push forward with raising healthy calves to fill their future pipeline.
Every producer knows that dreaded feeling when you find a cow who once was pregnant suddenly show up as “open.”
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.
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.
Progesterone is key to maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
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.
Crossbreeding for beef cows and the cost of raising heifers have added to the replacement heifer shortage.
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.
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 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.