| HEIFER REARING SOLUTIONS 1
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Heifer Rearing the need for change
The Startling Facts about Heifer Rearing
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Average rearing costs are approx. £745/heifer - excluding initial value of calf and the farmer’s land and labour.
(est. Total cost of a heifer at point of calving - £1100).
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This represents herd replacement costs of over 3p/l on all milk produced by the herd (see Table)
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22% of heifers born, as replacements, never enter the herd.
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18% of first calving heifers do not remain for 2nd
lactation.
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Average age at calving is 2 years 5 months (Est).
Today’s pressures will force changes
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Milk Price pressures - can not sustain rearing costs which
equate to over 3p/l on all milk produced.
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Pressures on land (due to expanding herds) - can not afford
to lose 36% of heifers between birth and 2nd calving.
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Pressures on profit, land and labour - it is critical that
heifers are calved earlier (changing from 30 months to 24 months calving could reduce rearing costs per heifer by approx.
30%, and release land for dairy cows).
Effect of Calving Age and Lifetime Yield on Herd Replacement
Costs (p/l on all milk produced)
| Calving Age |
2 Years |
2 yrs 5 months(NI average) |
2 yrs 10 months |
Replacement Cost
(Heifer cost-cull cow) |
£600 |
£850 |
£1,100 |
| Lifetime Yield 20,000 litres |
3.0 |
4.3 |
5.5 |
| Lifetime Yield 25,000 Litres (Est. NI Av) |
2.4 |
3.4 |
4.4 |
| Lifetime Yield 30,000 litres |
2.0 |
2.8 |
3.7 |
Today’s dairy cow genetics and the economics of milk
production demand a totally new approach - 2 year-old calving is the key to reducing costs and greater
lifetime yield.
“We need a simple, but robust method which will consistently
produce well grown heifers to calve at 22-24 months and both milk well and have a long herd productive life”.
The Key: A controlled growth programme that maximises muscle and
frame growth from birth-to-calving.
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