The main reproduction challenge on dairies now lies in the heifer herd, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Paul M. Fricke, PhD. He said, “Now that we’re raising fewer heifers, it’s more important to be better with them.”
Fricke believes attention to reproduction is an important element in lowering the cost to raise a heifer to calving.
Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, April 4, 2024. Link.
Less fertile heifers get <too>big . . . start breeding heifers when they reach 55 percent of the herd’s mature body weight. This will help them meet the goal of being 85 percent of the herd’s mature body weight post-calving.” – Paul M. Fricke, PhD
INSIGHTS: Thinking about how veterinarians interact with dairy producers, this article provides a good reason to discuss better reproduction results and the benefits of lowering costs. Veterinary teams can use this article proactively by setting a phone appointment and sharing the article before the call. Establish next steps on the call to be implemented and updated on a future farm call.