When fed aggressively, beef-on-dairy calves are hard to differentiate from native beef cattle by an untrained eye; however, these calves tend to be plagued with a fairly high incidence of liver abscesses, and this occurrence was the basis for our investigation.

Dairy farmers are no longer just milk producers – they are key players in the beef industry. With the right reproductive strategies, they can maximize the value of every calf born on their operation.

Sometimes thinking outside the box can pay off in ways you don’t anticipate. Agriculture is usually a high-risk, high-reward venture, and for Ryan Schleis of Schleis Farms, switching a Holstein herd to Fleckvieh was an investment he was willing to make in exchange for higher fertility.

With fertility rates on the rise and data guiding every decision, beef-on-dairy matings – especially with composite sires – are helping dairies optimize both efficiency and profitability.

Managing your reproduction program is complex, with many moving parts, but your herd management software can simplify the process. Just as a GPS helps you reach your destination without unnecessary detours, utilizing your herd management software to its fullest potential enables you to achieve your goals without costly missteps or delays.

Dairy producers face many challenges. Animal health, nutrition, milk markets and personnel management cause many farmers to lose sleep. Maintenance and management of a semen tank is a factor that every dairy producer can control.

When Chace Fullmer was handed the reins of a 1,000-cow dairy at the age of 20, he was excited to build a life as a dairy farmer. Almost 20 years later, Fullmer has added 1,500 cows, built a new rotary parlor and maternity facility, improved the genetic value of his herd through genomic testing and adjusted his approach to dairy farming.

With dairy heifer replacement values at historic highs due to tight inventory, keeping high-producing dairy cows in a herd, especially those beyond their first lactation, is economically significant. Some dairies are turning to beef embryo transfer (ET) to keep productive cows in their herds longer.