Their thin hide makes them more susceptible to production losses because of cold weather. Therefore, these purebred animals need more TLC than their beef counterparts. This makes production predictable in regard to growth rates, feed intake, and feed conversion, but also mortalities and culls. Holsteins have a relatively high amount of natural inbreeding, which results in genetics that act similarly, even across individuals. If being sold as feeders, these animals should receive a vaccination series consistent with the expectations of buyers. Furthermore, calves that are destined for beef should be dehorned and properly castrated to help prevent discounts when those animals mature.Īs these calves begin their lives, a farm should focus on respiratory health, which is impacted by a calf's receipt of colostrum (timing, quality, and quantity), being given a proper milk replacer, and having clean, dry housing. Although there is no research indicating the effects of feeding colostrum on the health and growth potential of bull calves, research does indicate that improper feeding of colostrum in replacement heifer calves has severe implications on their development. If calves are bought in, it is good practice to confirm that a sound colostrum management program was followed. Because of this, it's important to understand how these animals grow and how genetics impact their final carcass yield and quality.īeef production begins at a day of age, where bull calves should be fed colostrum, following the same program as that of replacement heifers. Although both raised for beef, these animals grow differently and finish differently than pure beef breed steers. While purebred Holstein steers have been raised for meat for some time, there has been a relatively recent increase in the production of beef on dairy crosses (dairyxbeef). The full webinar can be viewed here: īeef steers are a co-product of milk production. This presentation was given on May 10th, 2021, through Hoard's Dairyman. Dan Schaefer from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in his presentation, "Capturing Full Value for Holstein and Crossbred Steers". Information in this article was originally shared by Dr.
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