DSD 4.12 | Mature mamas sail through transition with beef cross calves

Dairy Science Digest

Beef on dairy is here to stay. These cross animals generate a revenue stream for dairies as it lubricates the parallel industry of beef production. Much research is being poured into this topic to ensure producers can make wise breeding choices going forward. This month we talk with Bailey Basiel from Penn State University, about their recently released paper titled: The impact of beef sire breed on dystocia, still birth, gestation length, health, and lactation performance of cows that carry beef x dairy calves.

While we all know how desirable this cross calf is to the market, there’s very little knowledge about how these breedings impact the dam, until now. Listen in to how this research team sought to determine if there were any negative production implications to your dairy herd when you breed to beef.

Topics of discussion

1:27 Introduction of Bailey Basiel
2:26 Objectives of the trial – Impact carrying beef on dairy calf might have on the dairy cow
3:24 Board invited review of Beef on Dairy
4:05 Historical background of Beef on Dairy
5:15 Calf fed Holstein model
7:54 Data set description
10:05 Beef semen description
10:47 Gestation length
13:00 Management changes based on gestation length
14:00 Wagyu crosses
15:00 Long gestation, does that equal stillbirth?
17:10 Health impacts for dams bred to beef semen
20:35 Next research / records needed for genetic assessment -
23:23 What do you want dairy producers to know from your research
Featured article: The impact of beef sire breed on dystocia, still birth, gestation length, health, and lactation performance of cows that carry beef x dairy calves.

Also mentioned in the discussion:

Translational Animal Science Article - Beef on Dairy Review
DSD 1.5 | Beef on Dairy – sire conception rate, Taylor McWhorter
DSD 4.6 | Accounting for Accelerated genetic improvement, Dr. Asha Miles
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