32 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN February 2024 PRODUCTION MAXIMIZING BEEF POTENTIAL Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Beef x Dairy JESSICA L. SPERBER, PH.D. | ASSISTANT PROFESSOR & FEEDLOT EXTENSION SPECIALIST UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN The use of beef semen on dairy cows to produce a crossbred beef x dairy feeder calf (commonly termed beef-on-dairy or beef x dairy) is becoming exceedingly popular in the United States. It is estimated that approximately 15 to 20 percent of the fed beef population in the United States consists of beef x dairy crossbred steers and heifers, and anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of the fed beef population in Nebraska. The presence of dairy-type animals in the feedlot is not a new trend. Following the 2012 drought and the reduction of the U.S. beef cow herd, straightbred dairy cattle were utilized to maintain beef supply. According to the 2016 National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA), the proportion of dairy-type carcasses on the rail increased from 9.9 percent to 16.3 percent from 2011 to 2016. This was an opportunity for the dairy industry to create a profit center from an animal that was previously viewed as a byproduct of the milk industry. While utilizing straightbred dairy steers for fed beef production greatly improved the value of the Holstein bull calf, they posed challenges for the packer and retailer when utilized in the feedlot system, compared to the native beef supply. Specific challenges for the packer include reduced red meat yield, reduced dressing percent, lower muscle-to-bone ratio and liver abscess challenges. Straightbred dairy cattle produce a more angular carcass, resulting in greater angularity in ribeye and loin shape, which is unappealing for consumers at the meat case. In addition, meat color stability in the retail case is a challenge for beef produced from straightbred dairy cattle. Although straightbred dairy cattle pose many challenges on the hook, the quality, flavor and tenderness of beef produced from Holstein steers was never a cause for concern, with dairy-type cattle comprising more than 30 percent of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Prime quality grades in the 2016 NBQA. Due to the challenges straightbred dairy cattle posed for the packer and retailer, and the return of the native beef supply, the Holstein bull calf lost nearly all value in 2017. This sparked the adoption of the beef x dairy breeding system in the United States. Crossbreeding beef sires on dairy cows is not a new practice, with many other countries having implemented this practice to improve value in the dairy industry for more than 30 years. In the United States, the most common beef sire breeds utilized for beef x dairy crossbreeding include Angus, Limousin and Simmental. One benefit of utilizing beef breeds that commonly produce a black-hided calf is the opportunity of beef x dairy cattle to qualify for premiums from branded beef programs with a hide color requirement. Beef x dairy crossbreeding has many advantages, including improved traceability, heterosis benefits, a consistent, yearround calf supply and meat-quality benefits. A beef x dairy review from Texas Tech University documented that 35 to 45 percent of beef x dairy cattle exhibit sufficient marbling to qualify for branded beef programs, suggesting that the marbling advantage of the Holstein breed is not lost when crossed with a beef sire. In addition, Texas Tech University researchers indicated an improvement in meat color stability and improved ribeye shape for beef x dairy-type finished cattle compared to Holstein finished cattle. Beef x dairy cattle have greater average daily gain (ADG) and, subsequently, improved feed conversion compared to Approximately 15 to 20 percent of the fed beef population in the United States consists of beef x dairy crossbred steers and heifers.
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