Feedlot forum to discuss crossbred beef

ORANGE CITY — Dairy-beef crossbreds are gaining in popularity, yet some producers are unsure how that might work in their herds.

Garland Dahlke, research scientist with the Iowa Beef Center, will present research he conducted the past 18 months examining the nutrition, health and performance of dairy crossbred calves.

His presentation is one of five at Feedlot Forum 2025 Jan. 14 in Sioux Center.

Beth Doran, Iowa State University extension beef specialist for northwest Iowa, said Dahlke was a member of an IBC team studying dairy crossbred calves from the wet calf stage through the finishing phase. The team monitored feed intake, body weight, sickness and carcass quality.

The project was funded by state Check-Off funds from the Iowa Beef Industry Council.

“To reduce the upfront cost for feeder cattle, feedlot producers are purchasing dairy or dairy crossbred cattle," Doran said. "However, dairy crossbreds are not without challenges.

“These calves are more fragile and may require management differing from that used with calves of beef breeds.”

Dahlke is no stranger to dairy cattle, having grown up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. He's been instrumental in developing software to formulate beef and dairy cattle diets, and is known nationally for his Feedlot Monitoring Program, Beef Ration and Nutrition Decisions and the Estrus Synch software programs.

Registration for Feedlot Forum 2025 is available online at the conference website. Cost is $25 per adult and $10 per student. Registration closes Jan. 6.

For more information, visit contact Beth Doran at 712-737-4230 or doranb@iastate.edu.