Implanting bovine embryos in dairy cows makes them more lucrative

By Michael Le Page

Dairy cows in Vermont

Riddle / Alamy

Farmers in the United States have begun implanting fertilized cattle embryos for dairy cows so that they can produce calves that will be bred for beef rather than milk production. The idea is to make dairy farming more profitable.

Cattle were bred for either dairy or beef production. Cattle breeds tend to build more muscle faster than fewer dairy cattle, and the meat quality is better. This makes beef calves far more valuable than male milk calves, which are often disposed of immediately after birth.

Select Sires in Minnesota have tested beef implantation …