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Thousands of dollars are invested in every heifer from the point of birth to her first calving. With this in mind, a 100-cow dairy will invest nearly $112,000 a year, and a 1,000-cow dairy will put down over a million dollars.
As I travel around the country and go from farm to farm, I see a good trend beginning to take hold as dairy producers are understanding the value of carrying extra heifer inventory.
Just as more is less, bigger is not always better when it comes to the growth and development of dairy heifers. The nature and growth of dairy cattle has vastly changed from decade to decade, and as traits have been genomically bred out of cattle, often the idea of “bigger equals better,” has become a misjudged trend.
When it comes to ensuring the future success of a dairy operation, raising good replacement animals is essential. One of the most crucial steps in this process is colostrum management.
There are many viral, bacterial, protozoa and nutritional causes of scours, and, because each farm is unique, there is no one perfect prevention method. Work with your veterinarian to find the right scours solution for your farm.
Today, many producers are looking to reduce costs and improve profits on their operations. An area often overlooked is the cost of raising replacement heifers.
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