DairyTalk 175: From Show Cow to System Cow - Rethinking Dairy Economicst - by Helmut Demmelhuber

With replacement heifer costs exceeding $3,000, dairy economics
are shifting fast. Profit no longer comes from extreme type or
short-term peak production, but from cows that last. The industry
is moving away from the tall “dairy triangle” show cow toward the
robust “power rectangle” system cow - built for durability, lower
health risk, and long productive lives. Cutting replacement rates
from 35% to under 30% saves large dairies hundreds of thousands
per year, while lameness remains one of the most underestimated
cost drivers. This episode explains why longevity, not glamour,
now pays the bills - and how tools like beef-on-dairy and sexed
semen support that strategy. With comments on a "The
Bullvine"-article (December 15th, 2025) by Andrew Hunt:
https://www.thebullvine.com