After more than five years of steady values that were consistently below the cost of production, dairy replacement heifer values have gathered rapid traction this year. Holstein springer values are up 50-100% compared to year-ago prices, averaging around $1,800 per head in July 2022, compared to $1,185 per head last year. Sarina Sharp, market analyst at the Daily Dairy Report, recently attributed much of the gain in springer values to the significant rise in dairy-beef crossbreeding on dairies, which has resulted in fewer purebred dairy replacement heifers in the marketplace. Sharp said tight replacement heifer supplies and higher prices for them will be prime factors in limiting short-term U.S. dairy herd expansion and U.S. milk output.
Springing Heifers Heifer Calves
Location (sale date) Supreme/Top Approved/Medium 90-120 pounds
Turlock, Calif. (7-29-22) $1,800-2,625 $1,400-1,750 -
Lomira, Wis. (8-4-22) $1,300-1,800 $900-1,200 $40-70
Jerome, Idaho (3-9-22) $1,490-1,675 $1,275-1,490 $30-110
New Holland, Pa. (7-27-22) $1,700-2,000 $1,250-1,550 $40-50
Maureen Hanson
August 8, 2022
dairyherd.com
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