Don't let cows grow fat

Carter Jones
Jun 28, 2024
Jun 28, 2024

1 of 2

Selling a cow is the most profitable day of her life, says Mike VandeHaar, Michigan State University professor. Euthanizing a cow is the most expensive day of her life. Cows that die on the farm may never recover their rearing costs.

Chris McCullough/For Agri-View

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Carter Jones

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Dairy farmers should emphasize livability instead of longevity in their herds, says Mike VandeHaar, a professor at Michigan State University. He rates livability on a scale of zero or one – zero for if a cow dies on the farm, and one for if the cow is sold off the farm or culled.

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