Replacements
As the dairy industry continues adapting to market demands, there is hope that current positive trends will benefit producers for the foreseeable future.
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?
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.
Beef prices are at all time highs, but the dairy industry could hold the key to stabilizing the cattle market.
As you rush to sort calves in the light of high calf prices, be careful with the ladies in the lot.
Livestock producers whose herds have poor reproductive success earn less and have higher production costs per head that those whose herds reproduce successfully.