The Raising Your Dairy Best Heifers project aimed to improve heifer management through hands-on workshops, webinars, and on-farm data collection. The goal was to optimize heifer growth, reproduction, and economic decision-making while incorporating beef genetics as a management tool. The project engaged 182 in-person participants and 75 webinar attendees across Iowa and Kansas. Five field days covered ventilation strategies, colostrum management, breeding techniques, and economic decision-making. Classroom sessions and online resources supplemented the learning experience. While a scale purchase was planned, the project instead utilized a scale from a local feed cooperative, maintaining data collection objectives.
Post-event evaluations showed knowledge gains:
- Semen Handling and Breeding Techniques: +3.09 (71%)
- Colostrum Management and Hygiene Audit: +2.68 (46%)
- Decision Tools for Heifer Inventory Management: +3.18 (48%)
- Understanding Heifer Raising Costs: +3.75 (49%
Participants indicated they would implement:
- Proper semen handling techniques (57%)
- Heifer growth monitoring strategies (55%)
- Colostrum cooling improvements (45%)
The project successfully provided producers with tools to optimize heifer management. However, follow-up survey responses were lower than expected, making it difficult to assess long-term adoption of best practices.
While online educational resources were developed, engagement was lower than anticipated, indicating a preference for hands-on learning. Future efforts should explore alternative follow-up methods such as structured interviews or direct farm visits. Overall, this project successfully delivered practical knowledge to dairy producers, leading to measurable learning outcomes and intended behavior changes, ensuring more efficient and sustainable heifer management.