Custom Raising Dairy Heifers: Expectations and Perspectives of Wisconsin Dairy Producers

This survey explored the views, opinions and perceptions of Wisconsin dairy producers about custom grazing heifers. Findings included:

All types of Wisconsin dairy producers perceive that grazing has positive implications for the health and productivity of dairy heifers.
In order to appeal to Wisconsin dairy producers, potential custom grazing heifer operations must be cost competitive.
Confinement operations are most likely to consider custom heifer raising as a management option, but are reluctant to consider custom heifer rearing for the summer only.
Wisconsin dairy producers seem adverse to custom heifer rearing businesses where heifers are grazed in the summer on one operation and sent to another confinement operation in the winter.
Any custom heifer business requires attention to cost and disease control to appeal to the concerns of dairy producers.

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