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.

Crossbreeding to beef sires is a powerful management tool at the dairy farmer's disposal using superior sexed dairy semen for heifers and beef semen for cows. This combination can significantly impact a herd's genetics and overall net return.

Farmers can capitalize on several potential benefits by strategically integrating beef embryos into dairy herds through IVF, with increased revenue at the core.

By prioritizing the optimal nutrition of beef cross cattle throughout their journey from calving to consumption, the detrimental impact of liver abscesses can be reduced.

In the realm of beef-on-dairy calves, the presence of beef genetics imparts inherent advantages, promising greater consistency and robust muscling when compared to their all-dairy breed counterparts. 

It is not the color of the animal’s hide that makes it valuable but the genetics under the hide that matter.

Raising dairy-beef crossbred calves is a value-added production strategy that is here to stay, and dairy producers have a tremendous opportunity to influence the success of their crossbred program through early-life nutrition.

Beef-on-dairy calves are an investment. These calves should be treated just as well as a heifer calf that will be raised for the dairy. A poor-quality, unhealthy calf not only hurts your bottom line, it also jeopardizes your reputation as a quality calf supplier.