Heifer management is an essential part of any farm. Introduction When looking at the history of the dairy industry everyone has concentrated on nutrition, reproduction, production, and the health of the dairy cow. It is long overdue to go beyond these areas and focus on the complete dairy operation. One area which has a significant impact on the dairy operation's future and overall profitability is heifer management. After all, heifers are the future dairy herd and cannot be ignored.
Heifers are one of the most neglected parts of any dairy operation.
Everyone is so busy watching the milk cows that they never take the time to monitor the performance of the heifers. I have found that significant positive economic changes can be made on a dairy farm by implementing a heifer management program. In the vast majority of dairy operations, heifers are the biggest economic loss on that farm, yet no one even realizes it. It is not inexpensive to raise heifers. Getting involved in heifer management is simple.