Raising dairy replacements continues to be expensive. The cost of raising calves and heifers is often the second highest expenditure on dairy farms after milking herd feed costs. In 2013, these costs were determined using data collected by UW-Extension agriculture agents from 36 dairy farms and custom calf and heifer growers across the state. However, in the past 2 years costs have changed especially lower feed cost and higher calf value.
In the Heifer Management Blueprint Factsheet: The Cost of Raising Dairy Replacements – 2015 Update, UW-Extension Dairy Specialist Matt Akins and UW-Extension Eau Claire County Agriculture Agent Mark Hagedorn revisited the Intuitive Cost of Production Analysis-Raising Dairy Replacements Study and analyzed the data with 2015 feed values. Since 2013 feed costs have decreased significantly leading to feed costs decreasing from $1,046 per heifer ($1.71 per day) to $910 her heifer (or $0.53 per day).