40 The Business of Ontario Agriculture Better Farming | June/July 2024 Livestock RAISING DAIRY-BEEF CALVES ‘The whole business stays healthier with a balance of enough supply and demand.’ By Emily Croft In the past five to 10 years, there has been a rapid increase in the use of beef semen in dairy herds, particularly lower milk-producing animals, to produce a beef-on-dairy calf. As dairy-beef cross calves continue to make up a greater proportion of Ontario’s feeder calves, many producers wonder where they fit into the beef industry. This has also provoked questions about the nutrition and management requirements of these calves. Keith Schweitzer, dairy nutrition and management advisor at Wallenstein Feed & Supply, says that he has observed the rise of the beef-on-dairy trend over the past five years. “Nobody seems to have a great handle on the number of dairy-beef calves in Ontario, but when talking to people in the genetics business, they are saying that up to 40 per cent of breedings are producing beef-cross calves,” says Schweitzer. While Schweitzer says that he’s seen a plateau in the trend recently, these calves maintain their presence in calf-rearing facilities and feed yards. How do these calves offer a new income opportunity for dairy and beef producers, and where do they fit into the future of the beef industry? Do your research before filling a pen. Leighton Kolk photo
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