Breeding beef with dairy brings new value to marketplace - CoBank
Adoption of beef x dairy expected to grow
4 September 2023
1 minute read
By: Abysmally dry weather conditions across the US have led to extensive culling in the beef cow herd and will tighten beef supplies for years to come, according to a recent CoBank report.
Beef bulls cross-bred with dairy cows (beef x dairy) will benefit dwindling beef supplies, but the impact will be relatively small.
In the report, CoBank analysts said they expect the utilisation of beef genetics in dairy will add a revenue stream for dairy producers, and adoption of beef x dairy should continue to grow.
Feeders and packers that feed and process 100% dairy-bred cattle currently could see their bottom lines improve when switching to beef x dairy, but those that feed high-quality 100% beef cattle may struggle to benefit from these technologies.
Moving forward, technology considerations such as specified mating decisions can lead to more consistent, healthier, higher-quality product to support producers down the beef supply chain.
