Beef sire picks for better dairy yields

By Andi Anderson

Selecting beef sires for dairy cows involves more than just focusing on conception rate, calving ease, and semen cost.

Research by the University of Wisconsin – Madison Extension educators highlights the need for dairy farms to strategically select beef sires to improve terminal traits, such as muscling and growth rate, when adopting a beef x dairy crossbreeding approach.

Surveys conducted in 2019 and 2023 showed that while most dairy farms prioritize semen cost, conception rate, and calving ease, traits like ribeye area and marbling are often overlooked.

These terminal traits are crucial for improving the overall beef yield of dairy-influenced cattle, which typically have lower muscle and red meat yield compared to native beef breeds.

The challenges of dairy-influenced cattle, such as their lower muscle-to-bone ratio and increased days on feed, make selecting the right beef sire critical.

Data from Texas Tech University indicated that high-yielding beef x dairy carcasses had a greater value compared to traditional beef and low-yielding dairy-influenced carcasses. This shows the potential financial benefits of prioritizing terminal traits in beef sire selection.

It is also important for producers to consider growth rates and weight expectations when selecting sires, as these factors influence the time and cost of raising dairy-influenced cattle to market readiness.

Selecting sires that excel in muscling and growth can help dairy farms achieve a better balance of genetics and improve beef production efficiency.

Dairy producers are encouraged to look beyond the 3Cs—conception rate, calving ease, and semen cost—and instead focus on selecting sires that enhance beef quality and market value.

By doing so, they can improve the performance of beef x dairy cattle, ensuring a better outcome in the marketplace. Proper sire selection will ultimately result in cattle that perform more like native beef breeds, leading to higher returns for producers.

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