farm help
Crossbreeding in Dairy Cattle By Klaire Howerton
PROMOTE HOME COOKING
Mixing dairy breeds may reduce feed costs Crossbred dairy cattle are common in the dairy world due to hybrid vigor. This can be an effective breeding strategy but must be managed thoughtfully to maintain a productive and profitable herd. Before crossbreeding, Reagan Bluel, field specialist in dairy with the University of Missouri Extension, advised that producers “identify what their market is.” Once that step has been taken, dairy farmers can create a herd that compliments their market. For some, this may be continuing with purebred cows. If there is no justifiable reason to crossbreed, it is a strategy best left alone. If there is an identifiable reason to do so, crossbreeding can make positive change. There are a number of dairy breeds producers can select from to crossbreed, but Holstein/Jersey crosses are the most common. They are a productive cross, and there can be a market for Jersey and Jersey-influenced steers. Holstein and Brown Swiss is another popular breed mix. The hybrid vigor in crossbred dairy animals may increase milk components, or at the least create more efficiency in achieving the same amount. A fouryear trial at the University of Minnesota showed crossbred dairy cows produced the same amount of butterfat and protein as purebred Holstein cows, but with 2
pounds less of feed per day on a dry matter basis. Bluel noted crossbred cows tend to have smaller frames but can complement a grazing dairy operation well due to less dry matter intake required for production. It is possible for a crossbred herd to reduce a producer’s feed costs. When crossbreeding, it’s important to keep herd goals in mind for long term success. “Having records is so critically important,” Bluel said. “Once you have an F1 cross, who do you breed her to?” Good records will allow producers to retain the best of their crossbred heifers, make breeding choices to ensure herd health, and market their culls in a productive manner. Crossbreeding can help reduce inbreeding, but that only goes so far. Records can keep producers from falling into breeding too closely and creating health and infertility issues. A producer’s crossbreeding program can be amplified in a positive way by selecting a good quality sire from a reputable purebred dairy, or through artificial insemination. Crossbred dairy cattle still need to be quality dairy cattle. Simply mixing and matching on a whim is not a sustainable strategy. Producers interested in crossbreeding might consider visiting dairy cattle shows to research breeds and develop an eye for useful traits that will benefit their program.
UP 400
%
According to the Council for Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) the number of crossbred dairy cattle is up 400 percent over the past decade. In light of this, they intend to add crossbreds to their genomic evaluations to accommodate this rising group of animals.
Send in your recipes to share with our readers! There is no limit. Send in as many recipes as you would like and look for them to appear in future issues of Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. The recipes will also be featured online on our website at ozarksfn.com.
One side sheeted. One gable sheeted materials.
50x100x18 Roof only Materials
40x50x12
enclosed w/3” reinforced vinyl back insulation. 1- walk thru door, 2-10x10 openings, 26 ga. 40 year painted metal. All red iron frame. Materials.
INSTALLATION AVAILABLE Call for pricing due to rising cost of steel.
P.O. Box 1514 Lebanon, MO 65536 417-532-4721 FAX editor@ozarksfn.com
– Source, American Dairymen JUNE 15, 2020
50x100x16
The Ozarks’ Most Read Farm Newspaper
All American Steel Buildings Pole Barns • Commercial Buildings Agricultural Buildings • Shops Custom I-Beam Construction
Toll Free: 1-888-364-9527 Office: 417-671-8015 Fax: 417-671-8018 Hours: Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm 12760 St. Hwy 76 • Cassville, MO 65625 www.superiormetalsalesinc.com sales@superiormetalsalesinc.com
21
