There are compelling reasons for dairy farmers to increase the supply of beef calves from dairy cows, says a farm consultant.
Dairy farmers would welcome the additional beef income and the calves were easier to sell, but First farm consultant Bob Thomson is warning farmers against using just any beef bull.
He said a dairy-beef calf might not be required as a heifer replacement in the dairy herd and was therefore surplus to requirements, but farmers stood to earn a lot more if they used proven beef genetics.