Multi State Dairy Beef Program Being Offered

Garth Ruff, Beef Field Specialist, Ohio State University Extension

Dairy producers over the past few years have faced a variety of challenges: low milk prices, increased feed costs, and often a surplus of heifers to enter the herd. In an effort to manage heifer numbers and add value to bull calves, breeding dairy cows to beef sires has become a more popular and common practice than ever before.

Join Ohio State University (OSU) Extension and Michigan State University (MSU) Extension on April 21, 28, and May 5 at 12:00 p.m. EST, for a series titled “Management Considerations for Beef x Dairy Calves.”

Dairy steers have been an important part of the beef supply chain for some time. This program will cover a variety of topics related to marketing, genetics, and management of crossbred beef x dairy cattle.

On April 21, Larry Rose, Head of Regional Cattle Procurement for JBS will be discussing marketing options and how crossbred dairy calves fit into the beef production system.

The April 28 meeting will feature Chip Kemp, Director of Industry Services at the American Simmental Association. Chip will be discussing which beef cattle expected progeny differences (EPD) and traits to consider to maximize the value and marketability of crossbred beef on dairy calves.

Jerad Jaborek, Beef Feedlot Systems Educator for MSU Extension and Garth Ruff, OSU Beef Cattle Field Specialist, will cover farm management strategies for dairy beef calves on May 5.

This webinar is free to anyone interested in the topic and we ask that you register online at go.osu.edu/beefmanagement. If you have any questions about registering for the program, contact OSU Extension Beef Cattle Field Specialist, Garth Ruff at ruff.72@osu.edu.