Dairy heifers from the dairy

[piglady]

I know bull calves are always available for a small amount but everyone says they keep their females. Now, if you typically get a female calf 50% of the time, you would get a female every other year (yes, in theory only). So, why on earth would you need to keep that many replacements. That would mean you replaced your cows every other year. What am I missing here?

[Callieslamb]

they go through a lot of heifers? They keep them all and then decide who will be their milkers later -selling the others to other dairies. Heifers can make you some money. There's a guy 2 miles from me that ONLY raises replacement heifers. I should ask him where he gets them.

[willow_girl]

The average lifespan of a cow on a commercial dairy is probably 3-4 lactations. Figure on half (or more) of those calves being bulls. Most farms seem to get slightly less than 50 percent heifers. Then you have a certain percentage of stillbirths, twins who are freemartins, and heifers who die for one reason or another before they reach calving age. Then there are some who wash out in their first lactation after having had a bull calf, so they don't make a replacement for themselves in the herd.

That said, most well-managed farms gradually grow over time. Some choose to expand, while others will sell their excess heifers, usually through cattle jockeys or dairy consignment sales, generally at breeding age or as springers, not calves.

[myersfarm]

I only raise DAIRY HEIFERS...except for the bulls my cows have...this year 4 bulls ....Right now I have 87 dairy heifers on milk......milking 12 cows and feed the milk to dairy heifers....they are out there for sale you just have to drive to buy them......I buy from 4 sale barns none are close to me ,....last trip I bought 39 dairy heifers ....trip before that 16....these are all 3 days old.. ........

[rancher1913]

the big boys around here figure the "average" usefullness of a milking cow is two cycles. they push them so hard that they burn out quick. the little mom and pop dairy by me gets triple that out of their cows but their production is way under the big boys.

[Tad]

We keep 15 hiefers a year from 70 cows, I know a guy who raises every one and never has the barn full. Depends on your management the truck is his vet a cow has cronic mastitis goes off feed she is gone, we work with them and milk some 3 quartered cows.

[Madsaw]

I wish I could find someone who would want to buy hgeifer calves off the farm. Hate getting the shaft every time we take them to teh sale barn. Red and whites and cross do not do so good here at the barns. Right now I got 9 on the bottle with teh youngest being 3 days and the oldest 5 weeks.
Bob

[oregon woodsmok]

Piglady, a lot of dairy cows get bred to Angus bulls, and those calves go out as meat, both genders.

So half of every year's calf crop are not replacement heifers.

I would expect a dairy farmer to only keep replacement heifers out of his top cows. Semen from top bulls is a bit spendy, so used for the best cows. So unless it is a top producing dairy, not every cow is going to be bred with replacement in mind.

[topside1]

Piglady, locate your area's dairy sale barn. Once you do you will be surprised at the selection of inspected dairy heifers...You may have to drive a bit, but that's life...Topside

[myersfarm]

topside still wanting to come over for lunch...just can not seem to find the time.....do not know why milking 12 cows and feeding 88 calfs....I should have more time to run around right ?

[topside1]

Too funny Myersfarm, Merry Christmas...

[ozark_jewels]

We sell quite a few heifers every year. We do not have the acreage to raise excess heifers past weaning, so they are sold early. We milk an average of 65 cows. no way do we need to 30+ replacement heifers every year(figuring 50% heifer crop). I have many 6-8 year old cows in the herd and one 13 year old. We just don't have that quick a cow turn-over thankfully. But we are a small grazing dairy. Also, the crossbreds last longer than the pure holstiens. And we do not push for production, preferring our cows to have a quality life. This season we had one heifer born dead, and one died of unknown causes at a month old. All others were sold as bottle babies or retained as replacement heifers.

[Madsaw]

Emily,
We are in the same boat here as you are. But, we hit near the 70% heifers. The worst part is when they are out of favorite cows. You just can't keep them all.
Bob