Nestled just north and east of some of Alberta’s most stunning scenery is Soderglen Ranch, where cattle act like they’ve belonged on the terrain for thousands of years.

Crossbreeding beef cattle boosts performance and productivity by mixing genetics, leading to better weaning weights, reproductive efficiency and overall herd health. Often, the practice is reserved for females, but more seedstock and commercial producers are turning their eye toward males to identify potential benefits and profit opportunities.

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.

In the ever-evolving world of cattle breeding, Sixteen Peaks Cattle Company, an east Tennessee seedstock to feedlot operation, is taking a bold, data-driven approach to advancing the Akaushi breed.

Dairy heifers are in short supply – and they’re not the sort of commodity we can restock in a hurry. Read about the ramifications of the heifer shortage on milk yields, dairy product prices and livestock values.

Dairy farms across the U.S. have been breeding a portion of their cows to beef sires since 2018. The resultant crossbred progeny, known as beef-on-dairy, has provided challenges and opportunities for both the beef and dairy industries. Penn State collected data over four years to evaluate the impact of beef-on-dairy progeny on these industries.

Every pregnancy has the purpose of generating revenue. Today, let’s dive into the concept of increasing the profitability of each pregnancy by deploying the right genetics on the right portion of the herd. The semen you choose on breeding day determines the path of that pregnancy: an investment for future profitability or a positive cash flow calf check.