Quarterly average prices in January hit a new all-time high of $2,660 per head according to estimates from the USDA.

Prices for U.S. replacement dairy cows reached an all-time high in July, according to latest quarterly estimates from the USDA. Meanwhile, average cull cow prices increased in June, setting a new record high for a second consecutive month.

Raising dairy heifers off-site increases the possibility of disease introduction, especially if animals are reared in a facility where they commingle with cattle from other dairies.