The cost of raising dairy calves and replacement heifers is very significant on Wisconsin dairy farms.  Calculating the costs associate with raising dairy calves and heifers is an essential part of dairy business management.  To augment individual calf and heifer cost of production analysis, the dairy industry requires a set of benchmark cost of production data in which individual business costs and labor/management efficiencies can be compared.  The following resources and publications highlights UW-Extension’s Intuitive Cost of Production Analysis (ICPA) for Dairy Replacements.

 Publications & Resources

• Cost of Raising Dairy Replacements-2017 Individual versus Automated Feeding
  • Financial
    • Costs of Raising Calves for Operations Using Individual or Automated Feeding, 2017 – White Paper
      
    • The Cost of Raising Dairy Calves Using Individual or Automated Feeding System, 2017 – Factsheet Summary, Part 1
    • Averages Don’t Tell The Story: The Cost of Raising Dairy Calves Using Individual or Automated Feeding Systems, 2017-Factsheet Summary, Part 2
    • Calves on autofeeders cost a little more-August 26, 2018 Hoard’s Dairyman
  • Pre-Weaned Calf Management Survey
    • Finding the Balance-Management of Calf Health Versus Cost of Production-Whitepaper
    • How real farms are raising calves, October 10, 2018 Hoard’s Dairyman
    • Shedding light on common calf procedures, October 25, 2018 Hoard’s Dairyman
    • Raising Dairy Replacements:  Individual Versus Automated Feeding Systems & Health Management for Pre-Weaned Calves, I-29 Moo University Webinar

• Cost of Raising Dairy Replacements-2015 Update
  • Heifer Management Blueprints:   Cost of Raising Dairy Replacements 2015 Update-Factsheet
  • Economic Costs and Labor Efficiencies Associated with Raising Dairy Herd Replacements on Wisconsin Dairy Farms and Custom Heifer Raising Operations, 2015 –White Paper
  • Putting a Price Tag on Raising Dairy Replacements-Hoard’s Dairyman, April 10, 2016
• Cost of Raising Dairy Replacements-2013 Field Survey
  • Economic Costs and Labor Efficiencies Associated with Raising Dairy Herd Replacements on Wisconsin dairy Farms and Custom Heifer Raising Operations, 2013-White Paper
  • Heifer Management Blueprints:  The Cost of Raising Dairy Replacements 2013 factsheet
  • “Real Herds…Real Heifers” Hoard’s Dairyman Series
    • Calf Care Takes Money & Time-March 10, 2014
    • Feed Costs Consume Heifer Rearing Expenses-March 25, 2014
    • Heifer Raising Costs Continue Climbing Upward-April 10, 2014
• Cost of Raising Dairy Replacements-2007 Field Survey
  • Economic Costs and Labor Efficiencies Associated with Raising Dairy Herd Replacements on Wisconsin dairy Farms and Custom Heifer Raising Operations, 2007-White Paper
  • The Cost of Raising Replacements Fact Sheet-Factsheet
  • Real Herds…Real Heifers” Hoard’s Dairyman Series
    • Caring for calves an expensive business –January 10, 2008
    • Feed expenses eat heifer raising budgets-January 25, 2008
    • There’s nothing equal when raising calves-February 10, 2008
    • Big spread exists on hours needed to raise calves-February 25, 2008
    • In just nine years… heifer raising costs jumped over 50 percent- March 10, 2008
    • Options exist to reduce expenses-March 28, 20

Spreadsheets

•  Dairy Heifer Management Tools
• Heifer Feed Cost Spreadsheet by Bruce Jones and Matt Akins