Beef-on-dairy calves are one of the most valuable outcomes of modern dairy production. Protecting the value of these calves depends on how well rumen and gut health are supported from the start.

Higher beef prices have created opportunities for dairy operations to generate additional revenue through dairy-beef crosses, raising an important and recurring question: Should I be breeding more beef semen or more dairy sexed semen in my herd?

“Building a better herd gives you more options,” says Dean Meinholz, herdsman at Blue Star Dairy Farms in DeForest and Arlington, Wisconsin. Dean is referring to the decision made eight years ago to genomic test the Holstein herd – creating more flexibility with incoming heifers and additional revenue with beef-on-dairy calves.

With the ever-changing value of both replacement heifers and beef-on-dairy crosses at the front of many producers’ minds, optimizing inventory of both streams of calves has become a crucial element of producer strategy. Effectively managing the interplay of the two begins in the dry cow pens.

Determining the appropriate voluntary waiting period (VWP) is a critical component of any reproductive program. The optimal VWP may vary depending on the lactation number, season and the farm’s breeding strategy, and it is a fine line between maximizing fertility and ensuring timely conception.