A majority of producers in the most recent National Animal Health Inspection Service (NAHMS) survey indicated that they provide heifer calves with 2 quarts or more of colostrum after the initial feeding
When heifer inventories are considered, an often-overlooked impact of a smaller heifer inventory is a need to take a closer look at culling rates in the lactating herd
With heifer prices dropping to modern-day record lows in the last several years, many farms have been faced with the question of what to do with extra heifers that aren’t bound for their lactating...
With November Class III futures pushing past $20 per hundredweight, and nearly every month in the $17-plus range for 2020, heifer prices have begun to show a little bit of strength
Managing growth is of fundamental importance to the heifer enterprise of a dairy farm. We know a heifer needs to meet certain growth goals by certain points in its life to meet a farm’s production...
In the past, it was generally recommended that dairy farms raising their own replacements on an ongoing basis needed enough heifers to equal 90 to 110 percent of their total cow numbers
The breeding age heifer contributes greatly to the future success of a dairy. She can also be the source of lost opportunities. Joe Dalton, University of Idaho, addressed the importance of getting young...
There’s a feeding strategy that allows you to put less feed in front of heifers, improve their feed efficiency, reduce nutrient excretion, and save you money
Between research data and personal on-farm experience, most dairymen would agree that overstocked pens have an undesirable affect on cow health and performance
When dairies find themselves with limited space, one option is to locate a new home for calves or heifers. For some farms, this means a rented facility down the road
Introducing heifers to the milking barn or parlor before calving may be the ticket to reducing stress. When a dairy heifer has its first calf, its world changes dramatically. A first-lactation heifer is...