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Full-Text Articles in Business
Effects Of Housing System On Dairy Heifer Replacement Cost From Birth To Calving: Evaluating Costs Of Confinement, Dry-Lot, And Pasture-Based Systems And Their Impact On Total Rearing Investment, Anna Catherine Hawkins, Kenneth H. Burdine, Donna M. Amaral-Phillips, Joao H. C. Costa
Effects Of Housing System On Dairy Heifer Replacement Cost From Birth To Calving: Evaluating Costs Of Confinement, Dry-Lot, And Pasture-Based Systems And Their Impact On Total Rearing Investment, Anna Catherine Hawkins, Kenneth H. Burdine, Donna M. Amaral-Phillips, Joao H. C. Costa
Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications
Replacement heifer rearing is critical for the future of dairy operations, to improve genetic merit and maintain herd size. A myriad of options exist on how to manage, feed, and ultimately raise replacement heifers. Pasture is perceived to offer optimal welfare and an economical housing system for replacement animals, but confinement systems are gaining popularity. This study investigates the costs associated with replacement heifer management decisions from birth to calving, considering the factors of housing systems, labor, feed, and health. The objective of this study was to develop an economic model to determine the cost of raising a replacement heifer …