“We are an intensive grazing herd located in eastern Texas. We milk 1,500 cows and also raise 1,200 replacement heifers. Our cows graze 10 months of the year on 450 acres. The production average for our ProCROSS herd is 64 pounds of milk with 4.1% fat and 3.3% protein.
We began using Montbéliarde and VikingRed semen on our Holstein herd in 2005. With the Holsteins, our calving intervals were too long, and cull rates were too high.”
“Since implementing ProCROSS, our cull rate has dropped from 42% to 28% and our conception rates now consistently run between 48 and 52%, with no fertility drugs or synchronization used on the herd. We have been able to increase production and components through the transition from Holstein to ProCROSS. We see 50% fewer problems at calving and rarely pull a calf.
With ProCROSS, our replacement heifers have done an outstanding job of staying healthy and are able to maintain body condition much better on pasture. We noticed the difference right away as the first crossbred calves were born. We are now a complete ProCROSS herd, and the calves became hardier as we go further into our breeding program.”
Scott Opitz, USA
Opitz Dairy Texas
ProCROSS herd with 1,500 milking cows and 1,200 heifers
