RAISING DAIRY REPLACEMENTS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE 21ST-CENTURY

Producing high quality replacement heifers at minimum cost will be one of the many challenges facing the dairy farm of the 21st century. Bec ause replacement heifers represent a large portion of the total cost o f milk production, dairy farmers will have to meet the replacement nee ds of their lactating herds at minimum cost to maintain the farm's pro fitability. To keep the US dairy industry competitive into the 21st ce ntury, researchers, extension, industry, and producers must examine th e data-base of research in order to determine how to apply the known i nformation to current production and research efforts. Important resea rch is needed to improve the dairy heifers of the future. This review summarizes research of the past 12 yr related to dairy replacements an d incorporates those findings into possible scenarios for future dairy calf and heifer management systems. Additional research is needed to determine how dairy replacement raising systems affect the lifetime pr oductivity and profitability of the dairy cow.