More Research Required to Improve Early Life Management of Dairy-Beef Calves, Says U of G Researcher

At the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar in Red Deer, Alta. earlier this spring, Dr. Michael Steele highlighted how little is known about the growth and developmental needs specific to dairy-beef animals.

In the Farmtario story Knowledge gaps limit dairy-beef production profitability, Steele explains how facilities available to him as a University of Guelph researcher, like the Ponsonby General Animal Facility and the Ontario Beef Research Centre in Elora, allow for unique research where he can follow calves from birth all the way to slaughter.

In an earlier Alliance story about the raising "beef on dairy" animals, Steele said, “Facilities like these put us in the driver’s seat for this type of research. We can follow feed intake on every single animal for every minute of their lives – no one else is following animals through their entire life.”

Did you know? Up to 40% of dairy cows in Canada are bred with beef semen.  These crossbred cows help Ontario dairy farmers capture new market opportunities.