Managing Dairy Herds - Balancing Heifers and Beef Crosses

By Blake Jackson

The dairy industry continues to evolve with innovations like sexed semen, which allows farms to increase the likelihood of producing heifers from genetically superior cows, boosting overall replacement inventories.

At the same time, many dairy operations have diversified into the beef industry, generating additional revenue from cull cow and calf sales. Crossbreeding dairy cows with beef sires has become increasingly popular, providing significant financial benefits.

While these trends present opportunities, they also carry risks. Overuse of sexed semen can lead to an excess of replacement heifers, creating overcrowding and increased costs as these animals mature. Conversely, the high market value of crossbred calves has encouraged some farms to breed more cows to beef sires, resulting in replacement shortages.

Since it takes about three years for a bred cow to enter the lactating herd, careful planning is critical. Farms must evaluate their replacement needs annually and adjust breeding programs accordingly.

Replacement requirements vary depending on herd goals. Farms expanding internally follow different strategies than those trying to limit growth. Factors such as cull rates, reproductive efficiency, and heifer management all affect the number of replacements needed.

Shortages can lead to empty stalls, reduced production, and increased reliance on purchased heifers, which raises costs and biosecurity risks.

Raising too many heifers also carries consequences. Overcrowding increases feed competition, social stress, and demands on bedding and manure management. These conditions can lead to higher incidences of lameness, respiratory issues, and slower growth, delaying entry into the milking herd.

Economic costs are substantial. Penn State research shows raising a conventional heifer to first calving averages $2,124-$2,304, with a range of $1,424-$3,369. Organic heifers average $2,017-$2,220, with a range of $1,064-$3,603, influenced by age at first calving and feed costs.