Beef on Dairy high price calves not going away

[TexasJerseyMilker]

I raise dairy bottle heifers to sell as long yearling family milk cows. This year no dairy heifer calves for me to raise are available at any local dairy or auction yard, zero, zilch, not even for $1000+. Because dairies nationwide are all only AIing their very best cows for to keep for replacement heifers. These heifers are not for sale at any price so most dairy cows are bred beef on dairy . The national cattle shortage is to blame for incredibly high beef prices but Americans are still willing to pay $8.50 lb for beef so there is a high demand for these crossbreds.

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www.dairyherd.com

Its this beef on dairy thing. I could pay $800 to $1000 for a Holstein beef cross calf but would still loose money just to raise it to yearling size. You don't want high producing Holstien cross for family milk cows because they make too milk. I supplement my Jerseys with milk to age 8 months and use the milk to reduce feed costs. I have a high producing Jersey second freshener making 8 gallons a day. I am having pour milk out on the ground. I don't see this trend correcting at any time soon. I could breed my Jerseys with Angus semen and do beef on dairy thing except the that one cow can produce one calf but makes enough milk for 4 or 5 calves and milk still has to be poured out on the ground if there are no extra calves.

And No I'm not selling raw milk to the raw milk crazies. Insurance companies do not cover raw milk sales ( I wonder why) and you don't know how people are going to store it. Someone gets sick we could loose the farm.

 

[Travlr]

I raise dairy bottle heifers to sell as long yearling family milk cows. This year no dairy heifer calves for me to raise are available at any local dairy or auction yard, zero, zilch, not even for $1000+. Because dairies nationwide are all only AIing their very best cows for to keep for replacement heifers. These heifers are not for sale at any price so most dairy cows are bred beef on dairy . The national cattle shortage is to blame for incredibly high beef prices but Americans are still willing to pay $8.50 lb for beef so there is a high demand for these crossbreds.

Loading…

www.dairyherd.com

Its this beef on dairy thing. I could pay $800 to $1000 for a Holstein beef cross calf but would still loose money just to raise it to yearling size. You don't want high producing Holstien cross for family milk cows because they make too milk. I supplement my Jerseys with milk to age 8 months and use the milk to reduce feed costs. I have a high producing Jersey second freshener making 8 gallons a day. I am having pour milk out on the ground. I don't see this trend correcting at any time soon. I could breed my Jerseys with Angus semen and do beef on dairy thing except the that one cow can produce one calf but makes enough milk for 4 or 5 calves and milk still has to be poured out on the ground if there are no extra calves.

And No I'm not selling raw milk to the raw milk crazies. Insurance companies do not cover raw milk sales ( I wonder why) and you don't know how people are going to store it. Someone gets sick we could loose the farm.

When I was a kid there was a guy up the road that was milking Angus cows. Now I don't know if they were straight Angus because I was young and not really interested, but I know the cows were solid black and said to be Angus. I've seen some beef cows that probably could easily be a family milk cow, and surely would be better than a Holstein cross because they may only give enough instead of too much.
Have you ever thought about crossing with a dairy type shorthorn or even a beef type? Might not be something you'd want to sell at a sale barn due to the color, but it would make good beef if male and maybe a family cow if a heifer. Just a few thoughts from a guy that would avoid milking a cow if he can... but still curious.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I raise dairy bottle heifers to sell as long yearling family milk cows. This year no dairy heifer calves for me to raise are available at any local dairy or auction yard, zero, zilch, not even for $1000+. Because dairies nationwide are all only AIing their very best cows for to keep for replacement heifers. These heifers are not for sale at any price so most dairy cows are bred beef on dairy . The national cattle shortage is to blame for incredibly high beef prices but Americans are still willing to pay $8.50 lb for beef so there is a high demand for these crossbreds.

Loading…

www.dairyherd.com

Its this beef on dairy thing. I could pay $800 to $1000 for a Holstein beef cross calf but would still loose money just to raise it to yearling size. You don't want high producing Holstien cross for family milk cows because they make too milk. I supplement my Jerseys with milk to age 8 months and use the milk to reduce feed costs. I have a high producing Jersey second freshener making 8 gallons a day. I am having pour milk out on the ground. I don't see this trend correcting at any time soon. I could breed my Jerseys with Angus semen and do beef on dairy thing except the that one cow can produce one calf but makes enough milk for 4 or 5 calves and milk still has to be poured out on the ground if there are no extra calves.

And No I'm not selling raw milk to the raw milk crazies. Insurance companies do not cover raw milk sales ( I wonder why) and you don't know how people are going to store it. Someone gets sick we could loose the farm.

The family dairy my wife used to work for is doing just the opposite; they are A.I.ing and flushing their best cows to produce dairy heifers. They are building quite a demand for their cows.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Two of my old cows eight half Angus calves were heifers. I tried to halter break and raise them for family milk cows but they did not have the temperment for it. They had the Scottish disposition. I don't think this beef on dairy thing is temporary. There is the law of supply and demand. Dairies are not going back to straight dairy when they can get so much more money for these calves.
Read how they do at feedlots https://www.agproud.com/articles/60518-recent-studies-on-beef-on-dairy-steers-in-the-feedlot

 

[Dave]

There is an old history story from the area my wife grew up in. Back in the 1860's or 70's people were starting to settle in the area. Two cowboys got two longhorn range cows and started milking them to sell milk. I bet it was a little wild west getting it done.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Ever seen the wild cow milking contests in rodeos?

 

[Dave]

Ever seen the wild cow milking contests in rodeos?

I have seen it up very close. As in the guy doing the milking.