Beef x dairy crossbreeding practices and management of the resulting calves on Wisconsin dairy farms

Authors: STERRY, RYAN - University Of Wisconsin; Akins, Matthew; BORCHERT, ERIN - University Of Wisconsin; HALFMAN, WILLIAM - University Of Wisconsin; STUTTGEN, SANDY - University Of Wisconsin; SCHLESSER, HEATHER - University Of Wisconsin; BJURSTROM, AERICA - University Of Wisconsin; KOHLMAN, TINA - University Of Wisconsin; IHDE, CAROLYN - University Of Wisconsin; LIPPERT, MATT - University Of Wisconsin; MARZU, DAN - University Of Wisconsin; CAUFFMAN, AMANDA - University Of Wisconsin

Submitted to: Journal of the National Association County Agricultural Agents
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/2023
Publication Date: 12/8/2023
Citation: Sterry, R., Akins, M.S., Borchert, E., Halfman, W., Stuttgen, S., Schlesser, H., Bjurstrom, A., Kohlman, T., Ihde, C., Lippert, M., Marzu, D., Cauffman, A. 2023. Beef x dairy crossbreeding practices and management of the resulting calves on Wisconsin dairy farms. Journal of the National Association County Agricultural Agents. 16(2).

Interpretive Summary: The use of beef sires for breeding to dairy cows (dairy beef crossbreeding) has greatly increased in the past several years to help control dairy replacement heifer numbers and increase calf sales revenue for dairy producers. The use of dairy beef crossbreeding has generally been a benefit to the dairy industry but has posed some problems for beef feedlot producers and meat processing plants due to increased variation in animal performance and carcass/meat yields. Our team of extension educators and scientists gathered data from 40 Wisconsin dairy farms to better understand the management of dairy beef crossbreeding and the resulting calves. Based on the data collected, dairy producers focused beef sire selection on the semen cost and the conception rate and calving ease traits of the sire with limited use of beef production traits (muscling, ribeye area, marbling) which are important to the subsequent performance of the crossbred calf in the beef feedlot. Dairy producers generally followed similar calf care procedures for the crossbred calves as used for replacement heifer calves, but there were some opportunities to improve colostrum (first milk) feeding and potentially calf health. The results show that crossbreeding of dairy cows to beef sires is prevalent and additional research and education is needed to support the use of beef production traits for sire selection.

Technical Abstract: Extension educators surveyed 40 Wisconsin dairy producers known to breed dairy females to beef sires to gain knowledge of on-farm beef x dairy crossbreeding and calf management practices. The survey consisted of questions about beef sire selection criteria, selection of dairy females to breed to beef sires, newborn calf management, and how they market their beef x dairy cattle. Conception rate, calving ease, and semen cost were the top three sire selection criteria used by dairy producers for beef sire selection, leaving opportunities to incentivize sire selection criteria for carcass and growth traits. All producers reported feeding colostrum within the first 12 hours of birth; however, 32.5% of producers fed less than 4 quarts of colostrum at first feeding. Sixty-five percent of producers marketed their beef x dairy crossbred calves at one week or less of age, with the remaining 35% marketing their beef x dairy crossbred calves at a few weeks of age on up to finished weights. Results identified the potential for the dairy and beef industries to better collaborate on beef x dairy crossbred sire selection for feedlot performance and carcass traits. The survey also identified the need for further investigation into neonatal calf care practices for beef x dairy crossbred calves.