DairyTalk 456: The 35% Threshold: When Beef Semen Starts Becoming a Dairy Farm Risk - by Helmut Demmelhuber

This podcast episode examines the economic risks behind
aggressive beef-on-dairy breeding strategies. The featured
analysis explains how strong revenues from crossbred calves can
mask rising replacement costs and create long-term herd stability
problems if internal heifer supply declines too far. Central to
the discussion is the so-called 35% threshold, where excessive
use of beef semen may begin to compromise future herd
regeneration capacity. The article highlights how many dairy
farms still base breeding decisions too heavily on current calf
market conditions while underestimating the biological delays
involved in rebuilding cow numbers. Ultimately, the analysis
argues that long-term profitability depends less on immediate
calf revenue and more on maintaining a sustainable replacement
strategy. With comments on a "The Bullvine"-article (May 25th,
2026) by Andrew Hunt: https://www.thebullvine.com