Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

In this essay I have summarized important factors for an effective, but also successful, way to raise and house heifers. This study can be used for other dairy farms to use as guidelines in their process to raise heifers. To let outside heifer growers house, feed and have the heifers pregnant before return, can save a lot of work. But also moneywise, when the care and individual programs makes them strong and increases the growth.
The result is a faster breeding and an earlier time for their first calving.

In Sweden the heifers tend to be older if you compare with Denmark or United States where the custom heifer raising is well known and growing. One reason can be the Swedish laws regarding outside grassing for all cows during the summer months. This complicates the insemination work, and often does not the heifer get pregnant until it its back inside the barn in the fall. This way to raise heifers is still pretty unknown in Sweden, therefore a lot of the information I have studied is from the United States or
Denmark. I have done my best to a Swedish working climate and analyze if this can be a good way to raise heifers in
Sweden. A very important factor in this breeding form is to get correct written contract including payment method, feeding program etc. This is a way to reduce all reasons for
conflict.

Sweden has their own rules regarding vaccination, and how to prevent deceases, and this
may also be a problem when you leave your animal to a new place with others. In large
countries like United States they have already worked with these issues for a long time
and have found ways around it. So there is all the reasons to believe that this form of
outside heifer growers will be a successful and economical way of breeding Swedish
heifers in the future