Livestock Management RANCHING
Dairy Breeding Programs May Help Keep Beef Affordable
By Robert O. Giblin, ABS Global W
ITH BEEF IN SHORT SUPPLY AND PRICES RISING DRASTI- cally, the beef industry is starting to get a little help from the dairy industry, accord-
ing to Richard Williams, ABS Global general manager for North America. “Quality beef crossbreds from dairy cows offer ben-
efi ts throughout the supply chain, from dairy farmers, to beef cattle feeders, meat processors, retailers and consumers,” said Williams, while speaking at the 67th Reciprocal Meat Conference. The American Meat Sci- ence Association (AMSA) conference brings together commercial, academic and government segments of the meat industry. This year’s event celebrated the 50th an- niversary of the formal incorporation of AMSA, which was founded at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. “Demand for beef is outpacing supply and all in-
dications point to beef prices remaining high,” said Williams. According to the USDA, the U.S. beef calf crop has declined in 14 of the last 16 years, from a high of more than 35 million in 1996, to less than 30 million in 2012. “Because of drastic reductions in the beef cow herd,
dairy cattle bred to beef bulls may help offset short- ages in the beef supply chain. Dairy cull cows and bull
68 The Cattleman August 2014
calves have long found their way into the beef supply chain. Now, quality beef crosses from dairy cows are hitting the market and proving they can compete for growth, effi ciency and quality with conventional beef product,” he added. “Dairy industry changes, economics and advanced
artifi cial insemination technologies – such as sorted semen – are increasing interest in cross breeding high- quality beef bulls with dairy cows,” said Williams. “The dairy industry is waking up to the opportunity.” Since 2002, the number of dairy herds has fallen by
27 percent, to 47,000, but milk per cow has increased by 17 percent, to 21,822 pounds per year. The increases can be attributed to several factors, including genetic im- provement, animal health practices and better feeding. However, volatility in the marketplace has focused
more dairy farmers on profi tability than ever before. Cash fl ow and working capital have become more important metrics following an extreme downturn in 2008, 2009, and again in 2012, when a nationwide drought drove feed prices to levels that drove many dairies out of business. In the U.S., more than 70 percent of dairy cattle are bred through artifi cial insemination, mostly with
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