The Moos Room™

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Brad
Welcome to the Moos room. Brad here again today. Actually, I'm off having a little R&R, rest and relaxation today, and we have some special guest hosts, and they wanted to cover one of the research projects that we did here on Cal culling and reasons for culling of cows in one of our university herds. So we compared Holsteins and our crossbred cows and actually looked at culling over 15 years worth of data.

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Brad
And I thought it would be kind of neat to have a few guest host talk about some of our research one episode and see how that goes. So take it away.

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Emily
All right. So someone sent us this research paper on dairy cow culling. And wants to know kind of what it all means, you know, for the industry. Yeah, it's a pretty in-depth study from the University of Minnesota.

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Joe
Oh, wow. Okay.

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Emily
It's from 2024, so it's pretty new. And they've got like 14 years of data.

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Joe
Wow.

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Emily
Comparing Holsteins and crossbred cows. Okay. This is like real world stuff not just theory.

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Joe
No. You hit the nail on the head. Yeah. Culling decisions are. Yeah a huge factor for any dairy farmer. I mean we're not just talking about getting rid of unproductive cows right. This has a direct impact on the farms bottom line. Yeah. And this study could offer some valuable insights.

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Emily
Absolutely. One of the things that just jumped out at me right away was, you know, that called dairy cows actually make up a pretty significant portion of the U.S. beef market. Interestingly, like something like 10%. Wow. Did you know?

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Joe
I did not. That's pretty significant. Yeah, it's bigger.

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Emily
Than you think.

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Joe
It's a hidden connection I think most people don't realize. Yeah. It call cow value is a legit revenue stream for dairy farms, right? So the more we understand what influences that value, right, the better.

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Emily
Exactly.

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Joe
And that's where this study gets really interesting.

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Emily
Okay. So let's dive into some of the findings. Right. So they really break down the reasons why cows are cold. Okay. And across all the breeds, the number one reason was poor reproduction. Yeah. 44.4%. Oh, that's almost half the herd.

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Joe
That's huge.

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Emily
Mastitis came in second at 18%. Okay. And those numbers are actually higher than the national averages.

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Joe
Interesting.

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Emily
So that made me wonder if there's something specific about this herd that's driving those higher rates.

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Joe
That's a great observation. Yeah. And the study offers some clues okay. This particular herd use seasonal calving practices. Okay. Which means all the cows give birth within a specific window of time. And that can sometimes lead to higher rates of reproductive issues. Interesting compared to herds that calve year round.

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Emily
So it's not necessarily that the cows themselves are less fertile. Exactly. It could be a management factor.

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Joe
Exactly.

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Emily
That makes sense.

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Joe
And there's another interesting detail. Okay. This was a primarily grazing based herd. Okay. Now, grazing can be great. Yeah, for cow welfare and milk quality. But it also potentially exposes cows to more environmental pathogens. Oh and that could explain the higher rate of mastitis. Okay. Which often leads to culling.

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Emily
That's interesting because it suggests that there might be a trade off. Right. You know grazing could have some benefits, but it might also come with this higher risk of mastitis. Yeah. So it makes you wonder how farmers right away those.

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Joe
It's a balancing act for sure. Yeah. And speaking of unexpected findings okay. This study found that crossbred cows were actually more likely to die on the farm compared to Holsteins. I wouldn't have guessed that. Yeah, that was a bit of a head scratcher. Yeah, it's hard to say for sure. Based on this one study. Right? It could have to do with the specific herd composition.

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Joe
Okay. Management practices. Or even just random chance. Yeah. It definitely highlights that there's always more to learn. And sometimes the results can challenge our assumptions.

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Emily
Yeah for sure.

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Joe
This is definitely an area where more research would be helpful. But let's get to what you were really interested in. Yes, the core value itself. Yes. What makes a cold cow more valuable?

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Emily
That's the million dollar question.

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Joe
Well, this study found that on average, crossbred cows tended to fetch higher prices than their Holstein counterparts. Interesting. Especially those sired by Normandy bulls. Okay. Now, why might that be?

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Emily
Is it because they produce more milk?

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Joe
That's a common misconception. But actually, milk production doesn't directly affect call cow value. It's more about what those cows bring to the beef market. Oh, okay. Think about it. When a dairy cow is called. Yeah, she's essentially entering the beef supply chain.

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Emily
So her value is determined by factors that are important for beef production. Exactly like how much meat she'll yield.

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Joe
Exactly. Okay. And this is where those Normandy sired cross breads might have an advantage. Okay. Now, we need to be careful about drawing broad conclusions from a single study. Right. But Normand cattle are known for having good muscling. Okay. And conformation. Uhhuh. Which are desirable traits in the beef industry?

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Emily
So those Normandy genes are like a hidden bonus. Yeah. A farmer might be focused on milk production, right? But those genetics are adding value on the back end. That's a great.

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Joe
Way to put.

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Emily
It when it comes time to call.

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Joe
And if we connect this to other research mentioned in the study okay, it gets even more intriguing okay. Cross breads often have lower cull rates overall thanks to things like better fertility and longer lifespans. So fewer cows leaving the herd early. Right. And the ones that do go for more. Yeah, that's a potential win win scenario for profitability over a cow's lifetime.

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Emily
This is really making me rethink how I view dairy cows, right? It's not just about milk anymore.

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Joe
It's about the whole picture.

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Emily
Yeah, it's about the whole picture. From birth to.

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Joe
Birth to, well.

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Emily
Not retirement, but you know what I mean.

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Joe
Right? Yeah. It's about recognizing the full potential of these animals and how their genetics can contribute to multiple aspects of the food system.

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Emily
Now, this study looked at data over a 14 year period. Okay. And there's one more finding that I think is really important for farmers to understand.

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Joe
Right.

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Emily
Call values can fluctuate quite a bit over time okay. For example, they peaked in 2014 but then hit a low point in 2020. Yeah, I'm guessing the Covid 19 pandemic had something to do with that.

00;07;37;14 - 00;07;55;20
Joe
Almost certainly played a role. Yeah, the pandemic disrupted everything, including the beef industry. Yeah. We saw processing plant closures and supply chain bottlenecks. Yeah. In shifting consumer demand. Wow. All of those factors can impact the price of beef, right? Including call cow value.

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Emily
So even if a farmer is making smart decisions right about breeding and culling. Those external factors can really throw a wrench in the works for sure. It's a good reminder that there's always an element of unpredictability in agriculture.

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Joe
Absolutely. Yeah absolutely. So we've established that like those external factors can really shake things up. Absolutely. Like a global pandemic. Right. Wow. But what about the cow herself? Right. Does her breed actually impact how much she's worth? Yeah. When it comes time to call.

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Emily
That's a great question. Yeah. And this study really dug into that. Okay. Breaking down the call value by breed. Okay. They actually looked at several different groups, which I know can sound a bit jargony. Yeah. Stick with me because it gets interesting. Okay. They had purebred Holsteins, a.

00;08;42;09 - 00;09;02;13
Joe
Control group of Holsteins with genetics from way back in 1964. Wow. And then two different types of crossbred cows, each with three breeds mixed in. Okay. The researchers specifically chose these combinations because they're becoming more popular in the dairy industry. Okay. And represent different breeding strategies. Okay.

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Emily
So lots of different cows to keep track of. Yeah. Let's start with the purebred Holsteins. All right. How did they measure up in terms of call value.

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Joe
Well, surprisingly they actually had the lowest average call value.

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Emily
Really.

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Joe
Out of all the groups. Wow. Coming in at around $730. Okay. And here's the kicker. Okay. Even though they had the highest body weight at culling okay, their price per kilogram was still lower than the crossbred. Interesting. So bigger didn't necessarily mean better in this case.

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Emily
That's really interesting, I guess. Weight isn't everything when it comes to beef.

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Joe
Not necessarily.

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Emily
What about those 1964 Holstein guys? Okay. What was the deal with them?

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Joe
Remember how I mentioned those were a control group? Yeah. Well, their results were pretty fascinating. Okay. They actually had the highest average call value. Oh, wow. Over $800. Wow. Now, there's a bit of a caveat here where a portion of those cows were sold to another research herd. Okay. Which might have inflated their average a bit.

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Emily
So it's like selling a vintage car to a collector.

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Joe
That's a great analogy. Yeah. You're going to get a premium price because they're specifically looking for those older genetics, right? But even if we remove those specialized sales from the equation okay. Those 1964 Holsteins, still I perform the modern Holsteins.

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Emily
Interesting.

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Joe
This suggests that there might be something about those older genetics. Yeah, maybe something related to meat quality or carcass yield. Okay. That contributes to a higher coal value. Interesting. It's something breeders might want to consider. Right. As they make decisions about future breeding programs.

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Emily
It's like those 1964 Holsteins are whispering secrets from the past. Yeah, about what makes a valuable beef cow. So what about those crossbred groups? I know that had some pretty interesting results, especially those Normandy sire cows.

00;10;47;08 - 00;11;15;14
Joe
Absolutely. Yeah. Let's start with the first crossbred group. Okay. Which had a mix of Montpelier. Okay. Holstein and Viking red genetics. Okay. They landed right in the middle. Okay. With an average cull value higher than the purebred Holsteins. Okay, but not quite as high as those 1964 genetics, right? But here's where it gets really interesting. Okay. Within that group, the cows sired by Montpelier Yard or Viking Red Bulls.

00;11;15;15 - 00;11;19;14
Joe
Okay. Fetched a better price than those sired by Holstein bulls.

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Emily
So even within a crossbred group, the specific sire breed right can make a difference.

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Joe
Exactly.

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Emily
Okay. I'm ready for the normal end results. All right, tell me. They lived up to the hype.

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Joe
They did not disappoint. Okay. The second crossbred group included Norman Jersey. And Viking Red genetics. Okay. Now, their overall average call value was similar to the first crossbred group. But when you break it down by sire breed. Yeah, those Normandy sired crossbred were the stars of the show. Okay. They consistently had a higher Kol value than the jersey sired ones.

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Joe
Okay. And they were bringing in a significant premium compared to those purebred Holsteins. Wow. Something like $70 more per cow.

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Emily
So if a farmer is looking to maximize their cull cow revenue, right. Focusing on cross breeding. Yeah. Especially with Norman influence is a pretty solid strategy based on this study.

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Joe
It's definitely something to consider. Yeah. But remember this was just one study. And more research is needed to confirm these trends right across different herds and management system. But the results are definitely intriguing.

00;12;27;21 - 00;12;34;10
Emily
I'm starting to see a pattern here. Okay. It seems like the more we learn about culling, the more complex it gets.

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Joe
It's definitely not as simple as just getting rid of unproductive cows. Right. It's about understanding the interplay of genetics. Yeah. Management and market forces.

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Emily
Okay, so we've talked about breed and those external factors like the pandemic. Yeah. But this study also looked at call value over time. Okay. And at different stages of a cows lactation cycle. Right. I'm guessing that adds another layer of complexity.

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Joe
You guessed it. Yeah. And it brings up a key question for dairy farmers. Okay. How can you anticipate those fluctuations? Right. And make informed decisions about when to call.

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Emily
That's the question isn't it?

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Joe
Well, the study found that cull value tends to peak okay in certain months, usually around late spring and early summer. Why would that be? It's partly that okay. But it's also tied to seasonal calving patterns. Okay. Remember we talked about that earlier. Yeah. Well, a lot of dairy farms have their cows calve in the spring. Right. Which means there's a natural cycle of culling.

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Joe
As cows reach the end of their lactation period. Right. And since demand for beef often increases during the grilling season okay. Those two factors can align to create higher coal values.

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Emily
So it's like hitting the sweet spot.

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Joe
Exactly.

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Emily
You've got a surplus of cows coming off their lactation. Right. And you've got consumers firing up their grills.

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Joe
Exactly. Yeah. But of course, it's not always that predictable. Right. As we saw with the pandemic, of.

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Emily
Course.

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Joe
External factors can really throw things off. Right.

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Emily
So let's say a farmer is keeping track of these market trends and trying to time their culling decisions strategically. Right. What about the cow stage of lactation. Right. Does that matter?

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Joe
It absolutely does. Okay. The study found that coal values generally increase okay as a cow progresses through her lactation cycle.

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Emily
Interesting.

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Joe
This makes sense because as she gets further along. She's had more time to recover from calving. Okay. Put on weight. And potentially improve her body condition.

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Emily
So it's not just about age. It's about where she is in her lactation cycle.

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Joe
Exactly.

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Emily
That's a really important nuance for farmers to understand.

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Joe
It highlights the importance of individualized culling decisions. Right. There's no one size fits all approach. Yeah. You have to consider each cows specific circumstances, right. Her health, her production history and the current market conditions.

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Emily
Okay, so we've covered a lot of ground here. We have read market trends. Lactation stage. Yeah. It seems like there's a lot for farmers to juggle.

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Joe
It is when.

00;15;08;27 - 00;15;09;26
Emily
It comes to color a lot.

00;15;09;26 - 00;15;10;16
Joe
Of factors.

00;15;10;16 - 00;15;13;04
Emily
But I'm also sensing a bigger picture emerging here.

00;15;13;04 - 00;15;38;03
Joe
I agree. Yeah. This deep dive into culling is really challenging. Yeah. The traditional view of dairy cows. We're starting to see them not just as milk producers. Right. But also as valuable contributors to the beef industry. Yeah. And as the demand for beef continues to grow. Yeah. This dual role is likely to become even more important. Right.

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Joe
Which raises a fascinating question.

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Emily
Okay, I'm on the edge of my seat.

00;15;41;10 - 00;15;58;01
Joe
Lay it on me. Yeah. What if this shift in perspective leads to a fundamental change in the way we breed and manage dairy cows? Well, what if we start to see a greater emphasis on beef traits? Okay. In dairy breeds.

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Emily
Well, that's a pretty radical idea. It is like we could see dairy cows that look more like beef cows.

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Joe
It's a possibility. Wow. But there are other options as well. For example. Yeah, there's a growing interest in what are called dual purpose breeds, okay, that excel in both milk and beef production. Oh, these breeds offer a potential win win scenario. Okay. Allowing farmers to diversify their income streams. Right. And potentially tap into a more premium market for their beef.

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Emily
That's fascinating.

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Joe
It is.

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Emily
So instead of specializing in either milk or beef, I can have a cow that's a rock star in both arenas. Exactly. But wouldn't that require a major shift in the dairy industry? You would. Like how would farmers manage those different production goals?

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Joe
That's a great question. Yeah. And one that will delve into in the final part of our deep dive. Okay. We'll explore the potential implications of these evolving trends. All right. What they might mean for the future of dairy farming.

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Emily
Can't wait.

00;16;57;09 - 00;17;10;29
Joe
But before we do that yeah. I'm curious. Listener. Yeah. What are your thoughts so far? Yeah. Are you seeing your own herd in a new light? Are you starting to think about the potential of those coal cows? Right, in a whole new way.

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Emily
It's amazing to think that this whole conversation started.

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Joe
All.

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Emily
A single research paper on calling.

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Joe
Yeah.

00;17;19;21 - 00;17;28;03
Emily
We've gone from the nitty gritty details of a Minnesota dairy farm, right, to some pretty big picture questions about the future of our entire industry.

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Joe
It really shows how interconnected things are. Yeah. This isn't just about culling. It's about the evolving relationship. Yeah. Between the dairy and beef industries.

00;17;36;03 - 00;17;46;20
Emily
Okay, so let's talk about those dual purpose breeds, okay. They sound like a potential game changer. They do. But how realistic is it for a farmer to switch gears and manage a herd rate.

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Joe
For both milk and beef production? Yeah, it seems like it would require a whole different set of skills and resources.

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Emily
You're right. It's not a simple transition. Yeah. Dual purpose breeds require a different approach to breeding, feeding, and even marketing.

00;18;03;23 - 00;18;04;05
Joe
Right.

00;18;04;06 - 00;18;11;04
Emily
For example, you might need to adjust your grazing strategies, okay. To optimize both milk production and weight gain.

00;18;11;06 - 00;18;11;17
Joe
Right.

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Emily
And when it comes to marketing, yeah, you're essentially targeting two different markets, right. With potentially different quality standards.

00;18;18;28 - 00;18;32;13
Joe
It sounds like a steep learning curve. It is, but also potentially a very rewarding one. Yeah. If you can successfully manage a dual purpose herd, you've got a built in hedge against fluctuations in either the milk or beef market.

00;18;32;14 - 00;18;45;01
Emily
Exactly. It's all about diversification and flexibility. Yeah. But even if dual purpose breeds don't become the norm okay, this focus on cultural value could still have a ripple effect throughout the dairy industry.

00;18;45;03 - 00;18;45;27
Joe
I could see that.

00;18;46;03 - 00;19;01;23
Emily
It could change how we evaluate dairy bulls for example. Instead of just focusing on milk yield and daughter pregnancy rate. Right. We might start to look more closely at traits that are relevant for beef production, like growth rate and carcass quality.

00;19;01;24 - 00;19;25;17
Joe
That's a really important point. Yeah it could shift the entire breeding paradigm. Wow. And it might even lead to more collaboration. Okay. Between the dairy and beef industries. Interesting. Imagine if dairy farmers could partner with beef producers. Yeah. To raise those cull calves specifically for the beef market. Right. It could be a win win situation.

00;19;25;17 - 00;19;27;19
Emily
Okay. My mind is officially blown.

00;19;27;19 - 00;19;28;09
Joe
It's exciting.

00;19;28;10 - 00;19;35;07
Emily
We've gone from talking about why a cow gets called here to envisioning a whole new model for the dairy industry.

00;19;35;08 - 00;19;48;22
Joe
It's all connected. It is. And who knows, maybe someday we'll be talking about dairy influenced beef as a premium product in grocery stores. That would be something consumers are increasingly interested in, where their food comes from. Right. And how it's produced.

00;19;48;24 - 00;19;49;18
Emily
Absolutely.

00;19;49;23 - 00;20;01;17
Joe
A story about a cow that lived a good life on a pasture. Produced milk. Yeah. And then contributed to the beef supply chain. Right. That's a story that resonates with a lot.

00;20;01;20 - 00;20;05;16
Emily
It's a story that connects us all. Yeah. From the farm to the table.

00;20;05;17 - 00;20;06;02
Joe
Absolutely.

00;20;06;03 - 00;20;14;20
Emily
And I think that's a great place to leave our listeners. I agree with a sense of connection. Curiosity. Yeah. And maybe even a little inspiration.

00;20;14;22 - 00;20;16;06
Joe
A little food for thought.

00;20;16;09 - 00;20;24;12
Emily
This deep dive has shown us that even something as seemingly straightforward as culling right, can open up a world of possibilities.

00;20;24;13 - 00;20;25;05
Joe
Absolutely.

00;20;25;06 - 00;20;28;23
Emily
Not just for individual farmers, but for the entire food system.

00;20;28;25 - 00;20;29;11
Joe
It's a big.

00;20;29;11 - 00;20;31;16
Emily
Deal. So keep those questions coming.

00;20;31;20 - 00;20;32;17
Joe
Keep them coming.

00;20;32;17 - 00;20;35;05
Emily
Keep exploring. Yeah. And keep learning.

00;20;35;06 - 00;20;35;27
Joe
Always more to.

00;20;35;27 - 00;20;37;17
Emily
Learn. There's always more to discover.

00;20;37;19 - 00;20;38;11
Joe
Absolutely.

00;20;38;11 - 00;20;40;15
Emily
And we'll be here to help you dive deeper.

00;20;40;15 - 00;20;44;06
Joe
We'll be here.