The beef and dairy industries have long been interconnected, and all dairy producers are beef producers through the sale of market cows, bull calves and beef-on-dairy crossbred calves. Taking this one step further, we want to explore a few of the observations we have made as dairy producers have added a beef enterprise to their dairy operation or made the transition out of dairy. The focus of this article is production, but we acknowledge there are financial considerations that need to be made too.
Dairy producers bring resources other beginning beef producers often do not have. These include facilities that could be repurposed for beef cattle; equipment for feeding, cleaning and harvesting feed; and a land base. Just as valuable as material possessions, you have transferable animal husbandry skills and general agriculture knowledge that can benefit your beef enterprise.
There are several potential enterprises in the beef industry; cow-calf, feedlot, stockers, backgrounding and raising wet calves are all options we’ve seen farmers adopt. If you’re unsure of where to begin, start by listing your resources and interests. There are different considerations if you are adding a beef enterprise along with your dairy herd versus transitioning out of dairy. Honestly assess if you have the labor needed to manage more cattle. Evaluate your facilities for bunk and housing space. Nobody – beef or dairy operation – wins by overcrowding. If unsure of space recommendations, Midwest Plan Service offers research-based guidelines for both beef cattle and replacement dairy heifers.
If retaining your own beef-on-dairy animals or dairy bull calves to raise, make sure your facilities can be adapted to house and feed them separately. Recommendations are evolving on beef-on-dairy crossbred calf nutrition from birth, but by 400 to 450 pounds they should be grouped separately. At this stage, the nutritional requirements for optimal production differentiate, and rations should reflect that.
Too often, we have observed dairy farms using their feedlot enterprise solely as a “dumpster” for poor-quality feeds, manger refusals and excess corn silage. While these feeds may be part of a well-managed ration, your feedlot cattle should receive a consistent and balanced ration just as you would expect for your lactating dairy herd. Failure to do so results in greater days on feed and poorer carcass quality. When manger refusals and forages are too large of a ration component in the finishing phase, it becomes difficult to provide the optimal energy.
Understand the market
Whether adding a beef enterprise or transitioning, don’t overlook the importance of marketing. Marketing is not the same as selling. Attend sales to see what type of cattle are most sought after. Marketing means building your reputation as a supplier of quality beef by providing buyers with information on their genetics and management (when selling feeder calves), communicating with sale barn managers and producing cattle that satisfy customers' needs.
Handling
Often, we see dairy farmers making the transition to beef overlooking their stockmanship skills because they already have “a lifetime of cattle-handling experience” with dairy cattle. Unlike novice producers, you may need to unlearn some of your past handling practices. Most beef cattle do not have the daily human interactions our dairy cattle do, and our stockmanship and facilities need to account for that.
Safety is of utmost importance for both humans and cattle. Preventable injuries cost the farm through medical bills, lost cattle value and reduced cattle performance. Handling facilities do not have to be expensive or fancy to be functional. You need a plan and handling equipment in place for low-stress handling. This makes routine herd health and management a breeze, along with sorting and weaning calves. Don’t overlook loading and unloading areas. It may take time to re-learn your stockmanship skills. Cattle will move through the chute system easier if they have gone through it before without being caught, poked, etc. Cattle will remember negative experiences. If their only human interactions are for treatment, they may become difficult to work.
Older dairy facilities – if they are structurally sound – can be retrofitted for beef cattle handling and housing. However, they may require investments to repair worn concrete, remove stall loops and other hazards that may injure either cattle or their handler. If retrofitting buildings, make sure they will work well for their new purpose and don’t fall victim to forcing things “just because the barn was there.” For example, good ventilation is a must. Shoving a poorly-laid-out handling system in too small of an area creates bottlenecks, impedes flow and increases risks of injury.
Nutrition
We can’t cover everything nutrition in this space, but we can take a “30,000-foot view” to have you consider the quality, amount and type of feed needed is likely going to change. This often leads to revising your cropping plan to meet the feed needs of your beef operation. Land suitability for different crops (perennial forages versus row crops) can influence which beef enterprises best fit your farm.
Cow-calf and stocker enterprises will rely more on forages such as pasture, crop residues, cover crops and harvested forages. Feed costs are approximately 60% of the annual costs of cow-calf enterprises. Letting the cows harvest their own feed by grazing and managing harvested feed storage and feeding waste are critical for controlling costs. Monitor the body condition of your cow herd. Overly thin or fat cows can lead to a variety of health problems, wasted feed and lost profits.
Grain finishing enterprises will feed a higher percentage of grain than dairy rations. Balance ration costs with cattle performance and be aware some “cheap” rations with poor feed conversions often result in higher cost per pound of gain through excessive days on feed. “Yardage” is a term used to describe the non-feed costs associated with raising cattle. They are harder to track but keeping them under control is critical to profits. Likewise, added days on feed adds to total yardage costs.
Coarsely cracked corn is preferred in beef rations. Fine-ground corn, which has become common in dairy rations, is not a good fit in beef finishing rations and can cause rumen acidosis. Good bunk management is also critical, which includes delivery of a consistent, fresh ration in a manner designed to optimize dry matter intake (DMI). Bunks should be read daily before feed delivery to minimize waste and spoilage. Poor bunk management can contribute to digestive upsets and wasted feed.
Genetics
If breeding your own beef-on-dairy crossbred calves, be cautious of retaining beef-on-dairy crossbred heifers to use for breeding stock, as some dairy traits can persist for generations and negatively affect feeder calf quality. Considering that a beef cow can stay in the herd for eight or more years, selecting the wrong cows can have a long-lasting impact on your herd and the calves you market.
Have goals in mind when selecting breeding stock. The environment you plan to raise them in, and how you plan to market, should influence your selection of breeds and individuals. Most dairy producers can communicate their herd’s breeding goals, be it an emphasis on improving production, linear traits or fitness traits. Rarely will they simply say, “I breed to the cheapest dairy bull I can find.” So then why accept purchasing just any beef breeding stock (bulls or heifers) and call it good enough? Decide what emphasis on growth, carcass and maternal traits best fit your production and marketing goals and seek out those cattle to create a solid foundation.
Though the beef and dairy industries are heavily intertwined, it is not an easy transition from one business to the other. Consider these points before taking the leap.
References omitted but are available upon request by sending an email to the editor.
