Jason Smith of Texas A&M joins host Matti McBride on this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast to discuss all things beef-on-dairy. An associate professor and extension beef cattle specialist at Texas A&M with an extensive beef background, Smith shares his knowledge and advice for dairy producers looking to capitalize with beef semen.
Here is the episode breakdown:
~1:11 – Smith’s background and current position
~4:00 – How beef-on-dairy calves benefit the beef industry
~6:50 – The importance of a healthy beef-on-dairy calf
~13:50 – Smith explains what it means to sell cattle “on grid.”
~16:00 – Yield grade vs. quality grade
~21:00 – Consider market fluctuation in retaining ownership
~22:40 – Communicate with buyers to leverage a fair price.
~24:45 – The importance of sire selection during mating
~32:00 – Expected progeny differences (EPDs): Birthweight and Calving Ease Direct
~34:30 – Keeping records can benefit operations down the road.
~35:30 – Liver abscesses
~42:00 – Importance of feeding colostrum to beef-on-dairy calves
~44:30 – How beef-on-dairy calves add value to the supply chain
~49:00 – Rapid-fire questions
Progressive Dairy Podcast
The Progressive Dairy podcast is for U.S. dairy producers and their industry partners. Each helpful, informative episode serves as an on-the-go companion to the reliable, trustworthy information you find when reading Progressive Dairy magazine. New episodes are released every other week on Tuesdays.