Over the last five years, Dale Woerner, Ph.D., professor and Cargill endowed professor at Texas Tech University, and his team have dedicated their research to learning more about beef-on-dairy crossbreds. From genetics to processing, they closely observed meat quality, carcass yield and consumer preferences. Their findings revealed that with genetic improvements and proper management and nutrition, beef-on-dairy cattle are highly competitive in the marketplace, charting quality and yield numbers that rival conventional beef. Quality pays, and with a beef-on-dairy animal, producers are creating a high-quality animal. As more beef-on-dairy cattle make their way onto dinner tables across the country, a few key factors contribute to their value in the U.S. beef supply chain.

Consistent animals and supply

Due to the nature of milk production, dairy operations can offer a consistent, year-round supply of calves. Additionally, dairy dams offer highly consistent genetics, so when crossed with sires selected for complementing traits, we can provide U.S. packers with both a consistent animal and supply, which delivers ease of processing and helps stabilize the market.

Higher red meat yield

Although beef-on-dairy calves cannot boast as high of a dressing percentage as conventional beef cattle, they offer distinct carcass advantages over their dairy cousins. Their increased muscularity and smaller skeletal size lend to a higher lean red meat yield and lower bone percentage.

Improved quality grade

Beef-on-dairy calves can be expected to grade like conventional beef animals with a large majority grading Choice or higher. They are a true intermediate between conventional beef and purebred dairy animals, inheriting the muscularity from the sire and superior marbling from the dam.

Consumer appeal

Consumers tend to buy food products based on their appearance. However, traditional lean meat from dairy cattle lacks the bright cherry-red color shoppers look for in the meat cooler. This led retailers to segregate dairy cattle products from the more visually appealing conventional beef. Research conducted at Texas Tech University has found that beef-on-dairy products achieve the desired color, mimic conventional beef’s larger and rounder retail cuts, and have a longer retail shelf life than traditional dairy beef. As a result, there is less food waste and an opportunity for the products to coexist in the meat cooler.

Superior eating experience

Our research shows that beef from dairy crossbreeds delivers a superior eating experience. While Holsteins still top the charts for tenderness, beef-on-dairy animals excel in flavor, boasting a buttery profile thanks to their higher marbling.

Sustainability

Beef-on-dairy cattle finish roughly 20% faster than purebred dairy animals. Data shows that beef-on-dairy cattle’s feed to gain and average daily gain are compared closely to native cattle and are considerably better than their purebred dairy counterparts. This allows beef-on-dairy programs to produce the same amount of beef on less total feed and in a shorter amount of time, which lends itself to a more sustainable way of producing beef. Additionally, as consumer interest in animal stewardship and sustainability grows, the traceability inherent in beef-on-dairy systems gains significance. Leveraging the robust recordkeeping of U.S. dairy operations, beef-on-dairy programs provide comprehensive information, including animal identification, birthdates and performance metrics. This traceability enhances operational sustainability efforts and adds value to exported beef and branded programs, meeting evolving consumer expectations. Despite the advantages, beef-on-dairy cattle face one significant drawback. Liver abscesses pose one of the greatest challenges for this group of cattle in terms of cutability and quality. Beef-on-dairy calves experience a higher incidence and greater severity of liver abscesses, which can slow or even halt production lines. When adhered or ruptured abscesses are found, extra trimming and extensive equipment cleaning are required, leading to substantial production and efficiency losses and added expenses due to overall product loss. While there’s no immediate solution, proper animal health and nutrition management play vital roles in supporting and maintaining gut health to reduce the likelihood and severity of liver abscesses in all cattle.

The complete Beef-on-Dairy Industry Report can be downloaded at purinamills.com/dairy-beef.