The New Dairy Math: Why Beef and Components are Redefining the Milk Check
- ZISK
- 34 minutes ago
- 1 min read
For decades, the financial health of a dairy farm lived and died by the milk check. But as 2026 unfolds, a radical shift in revenue streams is changing how the nation’s most modern dairies stay in the black. According to Curtis Bosma of HighGround Dairy, the industry is currently navigating a “perfect storm” of heavy supply, surging protein demand and a beef market that has turned a former by-product into a primary pillar of profit.
The “Beef Rebate”
Historically, beef accounted for roughly 5% of a dairy’s total revenue, a minor by-product of keeping a herd in milk. Today, that number has skyrocketed to 20% or even 25%. With day-old beef-cross calves fetching as much as $1,200, the “beef stream” is now the primary margin-maker for many operations.
By Karen Bohnert
January 23, 2026
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