by Amanda Smith, Associate Editor

Preliminary research from Purdue University investigated the cost of using polled genetics over dehorning. Highlighted in the Penn State Dairy Digest, costs were modeled in a mathematical simulation to determine how much money could be spent on semen from a polled bull.

The model inputs included costs for:

• Dehorning - $5 to $15; likely value of $7 per animal
  
• Additional cost for polled genetics - $0 to $20; likely value $8 per animal

Treatment costs and likelihood were also evaluated. Costs of treatment ranged from $10 to $150, with a likely value of $50 per animal. The likelihood that an animal would need to be treated was 1 to 8 percent for dehorned and 1 to 3 percent for polled cattle. The most likely values were 3 and 2 percent of animals for dehorned and polled cattle, respectively.

When run in the model, the expected cost for dehorning ranged from $5.84 to $22.89, with an average of $11.79. For polled genetics, the range was $0.47 to $22.50, with an average of $10.37.

On average, the model showed that farms could spend an additional $7.50 for polled genetics and break even with average dehorning costs.

Actual costs will vary by herd depending on their dehorning costs and current breeding program. The costs in this simulation, though, trend remarkably close to one another, noted the Purdue research team that presented its initial findings at the American Dairy Science Association annual meeting this summer.

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