From reducing unnecessary culling to enhancing milk production, there are numerous opportunities to improve the efficiency and profitability of dairy farming. Here are five tips to improve reproduction on the dairy.

One hundred miles north of Los Angeles, almond trees bloom, the sun shines and a Holstein cow leisurely walks back to her dry lot pen after her second of three milkings. She’s a member of Vanden Berge Dairy’s herd of Holsteins and is a product of an impressive genetic strategy.

Every cow you create might not be right for your market. To withstand market ebbs and flows, you need to create cows that meet the needs of your operation.

Not only do these producers gain a higher-value calf that commands a premium from buyers versus beef-on-dairy crossbred calves or full-blood dairy bull calves, but they’re also able to improve conception rates during the hottest months of the year.

Klipp explained that, compared to their straight beef counterparts, beef-on-dairy calves are weaned early from a liquid milk diet and need a functional rumen to maintain growth and overall health.

When asked for his take on a sustainable dairy, Greg Bethard uses one word to describe his mentality regarding the future of his operation: infinite. The CEO and managing partner of a dairy in Kansas makes many decisions with an "infinite" perspective in mind.

Enrolling heifers in an IVF program is extremely advantageous for genetic advancement in any operation. Even small numbers of viable pregnancies from a prepubertal heifer can give a producer the competitive genetic edge that every dairy farmer is aiming to achieve. 

Interest in beef-on-dairy remains at an all-time high. In fact, it’s estimated that the industry will produce 3.22 million beef-on-dairy calves in 2024. Incorporating full beef embryos into a dairy’s reproductive program is one way producers are taking advantage of this growing trend. HerdFlex beef embryos from Simplot Animal Sciences are available through Select Sires, offering a team approach to help producers achieve their goals.