DairyTalk 301: Profit per Cow per Year: Rethinking Voluntary Culling Strategies - by Helmut Demmelhuber

This episode builds on a professional analysis of replacement
decisions under record-high heifer prices. It examines the
economic risk of retaining low-performing cows simply to avoid
expensive purchases of young stock. The focus shifts from
lifetime production to annual profitability, incorporating
indicators such as somatic cell count, reproductive status and
genetic merit. The article argues that marginal cows can generate
losses exceeding the cost of replacement when evaluated over
time. Precision management and genomic testing emerge as key
tools to ensure that every stall is occupied by an animal capable
of covering its own costs and advancing herd genetics. With
comments on a "The Bullvine"-article (February 21st, 2026) by
Andrew Hunt: https://www.thebullvine.com