Considerations for Breeding Dairy Cattle to Beef Breeds for Meat Production

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Producing beef x dairy cross calves has the potential to increase the market value of these calves compared to straight bred dairy bull calves. However, as the supply of beef x dairy cross calves increases, it’s reasonable to assume buyers will become more discerning. Dairy producers can stack the odds in their favor with a thoughtful beef sire selection.

In Considerations for Breeding Dairy Cattle to Beef Breeds for Meat Production, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Holstein steers, introduce dairy producers to EPD’s (beef genetic proofs), and provide suggestions for beef sire traits to consider when applied to dairy cattle.

By choosing beef sires that improve upon the weaknesses of dairy steers, using beef on dairy can improve feed efficiency, rate of gain and reduce days on feed. Wisely incorporating beef genetics can also improve carcass characteristics over straight bred dairy by increasing ribeye size and changing the ribeye shape, increasing muscling, and moderating frame size while maintaining the marbling ability of dairy animals.

Read the full article by Ryan A Sterry and Amanda L Cauffman with Livestock Division of Extension

The Role of Energy and Omega 3’s in Embryo Development

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As dairy cows produce higher and higher volumes of milk, the need for a higher caloric intake is necessary to help support this huge demand for energy. Dairy cow diets typically contain some form of fat, either from rumen-active sources such as cottonseed, distillers, tallow and roasted beans or from rumen-inert fats such as calcium salts or prilled fats.

  • Palmitic, stearic and oleic are fatty acids we need to support energy in the dairy cow.
  • Cows that transition well do not experience extreme inflammation, thus they will maintain or increase DMI and avoid metabolic issues or milk loss.
  • Minimizing body condition loss and corresponding NEFA levels during the transition period will no doubt help set your cows up to become pregnant faster.
  • Providing base levels of EPA/DHA omega-3s in dairy cow diets will assist in proper oocyte and embryo development and will improve embryo implantation rate and lower pregnancy losses.

Read the full article by Douglas Waterman for Progressive Dairy here.

 

At Cornerstone, we know the small details make a big difference. Our team has been working hands-on and in the industry for an average of over 20 years each. We know your herd doesn’t take sick days. We’re here to work beside you, offer world-class expertise, and provide solutions and resources to achieve the goals you have for your farm. If you have questions on your herd’s nutrition balance, please contact us.

These 7 Transition Cow Diseases are Costing You Money 

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When you think about the animals who are costing your operation the most money, transition animals usually sort their way to the top. Generally, most production problems can be traced back to the dry or transition period, one of the critical time frames in a cow’s production cycle.

According to Michal Lunak, Extension Educator for Pennsylvania State University, the most common management diseases that occur during the cow’s transition period on U.S. dairies are lameness, mastitis, retained placenta, metritis, ketosis, hypocalcemia (milk fever), and left-displaced abomasum. Here’s a breakdown of just how much these seven diseases could be costing you.

Read the full article by Taylor Leach with Dairy Herd Management here.

Making the most of manure

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Manure is not a liability; it’s an asset. As livestock and cash grain margins narrow for the foreseeable future, producers should start viewing manure with the rose-colored glasses it deserves.

“To best do this, producers should track exactly how much of this valuable asset is supplied to the crop to account for its tremendous value,” explains Scott Fleming, Rock River Laboratory nutrient management specialist. Fleming adds that livestock owners should pay attention to three key factors that can affect the value gleaned from their manure: application rate, analysis, and placement.

Read the full article by Progressive Dairy here.

Trickle effects of high dairy feed costs

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The feed costs for dry cows and heifers can affect cash flow as much as the lactating cow. And this is especially true if forage inventories are lacking.

Feed costs per non-lactating animal can be very close to what the market is reflecting. This is due, in part, to feeding both purchased forage and grain. Examining feeding strategies for all animal groups is warranted considering the continued high feed costs this year.

Read the full article by Virginia Ishler with American Agriculturist here.

Evaluating wet feedstuffs for dairy cows

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Wet feedstuffs derived from the food and ethanol industries are valuable additions to cattle diets, when available within a reasonable distance from the farm. They not only provide required nutrients, but their moisture content helps condition total mixed rations (TMRs), increases their palatability and reduces feed sorting by livestock. Depending on their water content and price, however, their purchase can turn into a questionable economic decision.

Where your farm is in the U.S. determines which wet feeds are readily available close enough to justify their hauling to the farm. This article addresses the wet form of beet pulp, brewers grains, distillers grains, gluten feed, and grape pomace (also known as grape marc). We will discuss their composition and what factors to consider when evaluating their incorporation into dairy cattle diets.

Read the full article by Progressive Dairy here.

How will ‘sustainability’ impact your farm?

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Check out these phrases: carbon neutral, reducing your environmental footprint, carbon credits, climate change, carbon offsets, producing products sustainably, sustainability. Unless you’ve been doing your best Rip Van Winkle impersonation for the past several months, it’s virtually impossible to read much in the ag media without being bombarded with these terms, all under the umbrella of “sustainability.”

Farm Progress recently talked with Jill Wheeler, senior manager of public affairs for Truterra, the sustainability business for Minnesota-based Land O’Lakes, and a farm owner herself. As one of the nation’s largest cooperatives, Land O’Lakes is farmer- and retailer-owned and is well-positioned to know the sustainability movement inside and out, and how agriculture can respond effectively.

Read the full article by FarmProgress here.

Moisture could be diluting your feed purchase

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Don’t buy water.

Moisture is the water present per pound, bushel, or ton. This may seem rudimentary, but the point here is that water in purchased feed brings no economic value and dilutes out a valuable dry matter. When comparing commodity feed options, we have to first exclude the water and look at the price per pound of the dry matter before accounting for other nutritional factors.

Read the full article by Hoard’s Dairyman here.

Focus on the Pen, Not Individual Cows, to Deliver Profits

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Monitoring what’s happening at the pen level, rather than for individual dairy cows, is proving to be the best approach for producers with more than 1,000 cows.  It allows them to prevent and predict health or feeding issues cost effectively, and hence, increase farm profitability. The ‘power of the pen’ philosophy is leading to changes in how farms feed, vaccinate and manage their cows. Technology is enabling and in fact accelerating this trend.

Farmers have spent hundreds of years checking up on each cow, making sure they are fed and that workers are following best practices. While this is effective for herds of 20, 100, or even 200 cows, the approach is very time-consuming, requires a lot of labor, and is being replaced by time-saving technologies and innovations which eliminate human errors as farms increase in size.

Activity monitors, robots, milk sensors, and smart cameras in the barn and parlor are just some of the technologies arriving on U.S. Dairy farms, with the promise of monitoring feed, drinking, milk quality, heat detection, and disease.

Read the full article by Aidan Connolly with Dairy Herd Management here.

Comparisons in the farm “kitchen”

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Choosing a nutrition plan isn’t a one-size-fits-all mentality. Check out this article for an interesting comparison to your favorite dinner entrée. At the end of the day, selecting the right silage blend warrants a team discussion and budget projections. We’re here to help, contact us to get the conversation started.

Read the full article by John Goeser with Hoard’s Dairyman here.

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