The beef and dairy industries have long been interconnected, and all dairy producers are beef producers through the sale of market cows, bull calves and beef-on-dairy crossbred calves. Taking this one step further, we want to explore a few of the observations we have made as dairy producers have added a beef enterprise to their dairy operation or made the transition out of dairy.

Efficiency is efficiency, right? Turns out, it’s probably not that simple. Efficiency in a feedlot and at the cow-calf level are two very different things.

“Genetic improvement” is a term with far-reaching implications, uniquely and individually defined by those in the beef industry.

As ranching comes under near-constant fire for being ecologically disruptive, the FR Ranch Preserve of southwest Louisiana utilizes cattle to continue the mission of wildlife preservation and surface ecology dictated by their founders.

Farmers can capitalize on several potential benefits by strategically integrating beef embryos into dairy herds through IVF, with increased revenue at the core.

Crossbreeding isn’t a new technology. We’ve known about it and have been doing it for ages. Yet, crossbreeding remains a severely underutilized tool industrywide, with less than 50% of commercial operations using it meaningfully.

Adequate colostrum; a dry, clean environment; and effective navel care are essential to setting dairy-beef calves up for success. Supplying healthy calves can help farms stay competitive in today’s market.

A growing number of commercial cattlemen are discovering advantages of using Wagyu bulls (or semen) in their herds, especially to breed heifers.