A Study of Dairy Heifer Rearing Practices from Birth to Weaning and Their Associated Costs on UK Dairy Farms

Boulton, A C; Rushton, Jonathan; Wathes, D C

doi:10.4236/ojas.2015.52021

Cited by 29 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Previously reported replacement heifer rearing costs are variable and can be explained in part by differences in rearing management systems. For example, the average total cost to raise replacement heifers to wean was found to only increase by $82.88 per heifer from 2000 to 2015 but ranges within each study can exceed $350 per heifer [4][5][6]. Heinrichs [6] found a range in feed cost on 44 farms of $29.06 to $259.17 per calf; total cost per calf ranged $89.00-$442.78 during the pre-weaning period.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Economic Analysis of the Costs Associated with Pre-Weaning Management Strategies for Dairy Heifers

Hawkins

Burdine

Amaral-Phillips

et al. 2019

Animals

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Dairy calves are raised in various housing and feeding environments on dairy farms around North America. The objective of this study was to develop a simulation model to calculate the cost of raising replacement dairy heifers using different inputs that reflect different management decisions and evaluate their influence on the total cost. In this simulation, 84 calves were modeled between 0–2 months of age to reflect a 1000 heifer herd. The decisions associated with housing, liquid diet source and allowance, labor utilization, and health were calculated. Costs and biological responses were reflective of published surveys, literature, and market conditions. A 10,000-iteration economic simulation was used for each management scenario using @Risk and PrecisionTree add-ons (Palisade Corporation, Ithaca, NY, USA) to account for variation in pre-weaning mortality rate, weaning age, and disease prevalence. As milk allotment increased, total feed cost increased. Feeding calves a higher allowance of milk resulted in a lower cost per kg of gain. Average feed cost percentage of the total cost was 46% (min, max: 33%, 59%) while labor, and fixed and variable cost represented 33% (20%, 45%), 9% (2%, 12%), and 12% (10%, 14%), respectively. Total pre-weaning costs ranged from $258.56 to $582.98 per calf across all management scenarios and milk allotments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Economic Analysis of the Costs Associated with Pre-Weaning Management Strategies for Dairy Heifers

Hawkins

Burdine

Amaral-Phillips

et al. 2019

Animals

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“…They were mostly conventional enterprises, with 9 herds registered as organic. Heifers on the farms included in this study were weaned at 62 ± 13 d, range 42 -112 d [25]. The mean age at conception was 509 days, range 365 -700.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A total of 102 dairy farms in England, Scotland and Wales were recruited via industry extension services, farm consultancy groups, social media platforms and private veterinary groups. Information on costs associated with the period from birth to weaning have been published previously [25]. This paper covers the development period from weaning to conception.…”

Section: Farm Selection Questionnaire and Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The methodology used to calculate the cost of labour, building and equipment depreciation, electricity, free water consumption and slurry storage and soiled bedding costs are described in Boulton et al [25]. With reference to slurry storage the volume of slurry produced per day per heifer was estimated at 7.0 litres/day up to 91 days of age, 20.0 litres/day aged >91 days to 395 days and 40.0 litres/day aged >395 days to conception.…”

Section: Calculation and Analysis Of Input Costsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Management and Associated Costs of Rearing Heifers on UK Dairy Farms from Weaning to Conception

Boulton¹,

Rushton²,

Wathes

2015

OJAS

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Dairy heifers only start to produce a return on investment at first calving. The length of the nonproductive rearing period is largely governed by farmer decisions on plane of nutrition and reproduction management. Primary data were collected from 101 dairy farms and a cost analysis workbook developed to calculate individual inputs in each of three periods to determine which management decisions and farm factors have the greatest influence on the total costs associated with rearing. This paper covers weaning until conception. Heifers were weaned at 62 d (range 42 -112 d) and conceived by 509 d (range 365 -700 d) giving an average weaning to conception period of 447 ± 60 d (range 253 to 630 d). The mean daily cost of rearing during this period was £1.65 (range £0.75 to £2.97 on different farms) giving a mean total cost of £745.94 per heifer (range £295.32 to £1745.85). This large variation was mostly due to the duration, which was mainly determined by age at first breeding (mean 476 days, range 365 -700 d). The main contributors to total costs were feed (35.6%), labour (24.7%) and bedding (8.9%). The variables most strongly associated with the total costs were age at conception, calving pattern and breed. A multivariable model predicted an increase in mean cost of £2.26 for each extra day in age at conception. The total cost was highest in herds with all year round calving, intermediate in multi-block and lowest in spring and autumn calving herds, with Friesian x and Jersey herds having the lowest cost of rearing. KeywordsHeifer, Cost Analysis, Conception, Sexed Semen IntroductionHeifers are the future of the dairy herd and the management of their rearing is important if the herd is to be sus-A. C. Boulton et al. 295tainable and heifer wastage reduced. A common aim is to breed replacement heifers by 15 months of age to achieve an age at first calving (AFC) of 24 months. This is generally considered the minimum at which animals are sufficiently grown to calve without difficulty and to achieve a good first lactation milk yield. In practice, few farms achieve an average AFC of 24 months, with mean values ranging globally from 26 to 31 months [1]. Keeping the AFC to 2 years reduces the cost of rearing replacements but requires a good standard of management to ensure an adequate growth rate. Farmers generally decide when to start serving animals based on either age or size (weight and/or height). A high conception rate is then essential to achieve a low AFC. Another key consideration is health. Poor health not only slows growth and reduces fertility, but 6.9% of heifers born on UK dairy farms die or are culled between 28 days and the start of breeding [1] [2]. This impacts on the economics as the cost of resource use up to the point of death has to be apportioned onto the cohort of surviving heifers.The period from weaning to conception is one of great physiological change during which heifers reach sexual maturity. It is also the period of greatest absolute growth with 75% of frame growth occurring prior to the onset ...

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“…A total of 101 dairy farms located in England, Scotland and Wales were recruited via industry extension services, farm consultancy groups, social media platforms and private veterinary groups. Information on costs and management associated with the periods from birth to weaning [30] and weaning to conception [31] have been reported previously. The farms were visited from March through August 2013.…”

Section: Farm Selection Questionnaire and Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of the Management and Costs Associated with Rearing Pregnant Dairy Heifers in the UK from Conception to Calving

Boulton¹,

Rushton²,

Wathes

2015

OJAS

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Good management of the pregnant heifer is crucial to ensure that she is well grown and healthy and calves down easily before joining the milking herd. This study collected primary data on all aspects of heifer management on 101 UK farms during heifer pregnancy from conception to calving including farm factors and associated costs of system inputs. A cost analysis workbook was developed to calculate the cost of rearing per heifer for each of the study farms. Associations between cost of rearing and farms factors were determined using linear regression and analysis of variance. Heifers had a mean age of conception of 509 d (range 365-700 d) and an age at first calving of 784 d (range 639-973 d). The mean total cost of rearing during pregnancy was £450.36 (range £153.11 to £784.00) with a mean daily cost of £1.64 (range £0.56 to £2.86). The inputs contributing the most to cost were feed (32.7%), labour (23.8%) and slurry disposal (11.2%). Total purchased and homegrown feed and grazing contributed between 25.5% and 65.4% of total costs with a mean contribution of 43.6%. The cost of rearing was lowest in spring calving herds and highest in all year round calving herds with intermediate values in autumn and multi block calving herds. The main variables influencing the cost were the number of days spent at grass, age at first calving, calving pattern, breed, herd size and region. Each extra day in age at first calving increased the mean cost of rearing during pregnancy by £0.33/d whereas every extra day at grass reduced the cost by £1.75/d.

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A Study of Dairy Heifer Rearing Practices from Birth to Weaning and Their Associated Costs on UK Dairy Farms

Cited by 29 publications

References 24 publications

An Economic Analysis of the Costs Associated with Pre-Weaning Management Strategies for Dairy Heifers

An Economic Analysis of the Costs Associated with Pre-Weaning Management Strategies for Dairy Heifers

The Management and Associated Costs of Rearing Heifers on UK Dairy Farms from Weaning to Conception

Analysis of the Management and Costs Associated with Rearing Pregnant Dairy Heifers in the UK from Conception to Calving

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