With the opportunity to capitalize on record-low native beef herd numbers and the growing demand for high-quality beef, dairy-beef crossbred cattle producers can benefit from taking a second look at their early life calf nutrition program.

“I think, done the right way and with proper management all the way through, these calves are better than the native beef,” said Dan Dorn.

“When we talk about raising a dairy replacement heifer, it’s going to ultimately make a milk cow,” said John Robison, a consultant at JDR Livestock Consulting Management Services, during a session of the 2023 Dairy Calf and Heifer Association annual meeting.

The milking herd at NexGen Dairy is a mature group of cows who have proven themselves in milk production and in overall cow health. Achieving such a distinct herd begins with the calves and the farm’s protocols – starting at birth.

When I visit a farm, my favorite question to ask is, “What part of the dairy you are most proud of?” Typically, the answers include some sort of cow performance measurements, such as milk production, pregnancy rates or genomics.

Calf raising is an area where producers may be tempted to cut corners in an effort to save money. Incorporating a least-cost mentality when raising calves often results in calves that are more susceptible to developing health complications.

It’s easy to become impatient and want to breed heifers early to get them into the lactating herd and have them start paying off their debts as soon as possible.