43 It’s Farming. And It’s Better. Better Farming | June/July 2024 beef calves. “We saw a decline previously with high grain prices in ’95 and then again in 2008, where we weren’t getting enough calves and were fighting over them, and some guys ended up shutting down feedlots. Those that stayed in business bought in calves cheaper a few years later,” says Kolk. “The whole business stays healthier when you have a balance of enough supply and demand.” As this aspect of the beef industry becomes more established, Schweitzer believes that selection for beef traits will gain more attention. “I think as calf growers and feedlots get more data back on carcass grade-out and quality, that processors will be a bit more in the driver’s seat in indicating the sires they want used. They’ll want more consistency for processing and selling the product,” says Schweitzer. “The market will indicate preferred sires and producers might get a premium compared to when they are breeding to any run-of-the-mill Angus bull.” As genetic selection for beef production improves and dairy-beef calves continue to offer consistency in availability, more feedlots may be interested in feeding crossbred calves. Kolk’s advice to these farmers would be to do your research and be prepared before filling a pen. “If someone wants to get into it, they should make a focused effort and not just do it haphazardly when a pen becomes available. If you and your staff don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll end up having more issues.” He recommends a stronger vaccine program on arrival, and tailoring receiving protocols for dairy-beef calves. Kolk also notes that due to rearing, these calves may not be fearful of humans, and staff should be prepared to avoid injuries. Schweitzer says that dairy-beef calves are quicker to feed than dairy heifers. “The turnaround on a dairy heifer is about 22 to 24 months, and you can have a beef cross calf out the door at finishing weight by 18 to 20 months old,” explains Schweitzer. Kolk adds that feeders still shouldn’t expect to move dairy-beef calves through the feed yard as quickly as purebred beef calves. “You have to be patient. You get them at 500 pounds and can have them for almost a year or more. Many have a birthday here. We are not flipping them in six months,” says Kolk. “I would not look at it as the holy grail by any stretch. It’s allowed us to grow, but it’s not like we’ve replaced beef. We’ve maintained what we had but added on to our yard because of this opportunity.” BF PLATINUM SPONSORS HOSTS SILVER SPONSORS riskmanagement.farms.com/yieldtour #ONYield24 Save the date for the nal events! August 22, 2024 Chesterville August 29, 2024 Woodstock Livestock
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