The 'Golden Girls' are driving dairy profits

Many dairy producers focus on high replacement rates to accelerate genetic progress. While genetic improvement is crucial, allowing these genetics to express themselves in mature, proven cows delivers greater returns over the long term.

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There is a growing ‘immaturity problem’ in the global dairy industry, according to veterinarian and dairy consultant, Dr Gavin Staley.

Speaking at a recent dairy management consulting congress, he explained that this referred to the breeding of immature heifers not grown out to an appropriate size, frame or weight at first breeding, and immature herds (defined as average herd lactations of only 2,2).

The trend, according to him, might get hidden by small numbers and inadequate software analysis in smaller dairies. This, however, does not mean it doesn’t occur in small dairies. In larger dairies with over a thousand cows it is easier to demonstrate if the problem is present.

Two factors drive this trend, the first being heifers calving too early before reaching full maturity.

“They may come into production sooner, but it limits their future milk yield as well as growth and health, cutting short their potential,” says Staley.

He refers to these animals as ‘Peter Pan’ cows, because they essentially never get the opportunity to ‘grow up’. “An immature heifer that calves early will most likely under-perform for her entire lifetime. There is no ‘factory reset’ or ‘catch-up’. This is a case of sacrificing the future for perceived immediate gains,” says Staley.

Along with this, a close link exists between first-lactation performance and herd output.

“The average milk yield of heifers in week 10 of their first lactation is almost identical to the herd’s annual average, usually within a litre. With first-lactation cows typically contributing about 38% of total production, their performance strongly influences the bottom line,” he says.

Staley adds that well-grown heifers, at 10 weeks in lactation, should be capable of production at the herd target (around 45ℓ/day in an elite dairy).

HERD AGE