The beef and dairy industries have long been interconnected, and all dairy producers are beef producers through the sale of market cows, bull calves and beef-on-dairy crossbred calves. Taking this one step further, we want to explore a few of the observations we have made as dairy producers have added a beef enterprise to their dairy operation or made the transition out of dairy.

By pairing management practices with innovations in genomic testing, producers can stock their herds with the right animals that have the potential to be high producers of milk, fat and protein; have less risk for mastitis; require a reduced need for antibiotic use; produce more salable milk; and possess greater potential for improved herd profitability.

Driven, hard-working and passionate about the dairy industry. These attributes describe many involved with dairy cattle, and siblings Logan and Lauren Silveira are no exception. The duo have made their splash in the dairy world and are here to stay.

Sitting in his home office sipping a cup of coffee, Paul Larmer is seemingly common. Unbeknownst to the average person, his influence on the dairy cattle genetics sector of the industry is undeniable. It is for both his remarkable leadership and self-effacing attitude that Larmer is named this year’s World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year.

Following a simple philosophy of structure and dedication, Swisslane Farms' reproductive team can balance Double Ovsynch, embryo transfer and beef-on-dairy with the goal to make as much milk as possible.

Beef-on-dairy will only continue to grow. Are you maximizing your opportunity to profit by putting the tools available to you to work?

With the growing trend of using beef semen in dairy herds to produce high-value beef-on-dairy calves, the industry faces unique challenges and opportunities. There is a critical need for internal herd expansion as dairy replacements become scarce.

While dairy producers are heavily driven by fertility and calving ease when it comes to a beef breeding, there are additional traits that can create cattle desirable to the beef market, creating valuable relationships for the longer-term profits.