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Herd Retirement Bred Heifer Option Frequently Asked Questions
Long term stability

How will the Bred Heifer Option work?

Producers bidding into the Herd Retirement program will have the option of also offering to sell all their bred heifers for slaughter, and to receive an additional CWT program payment of $700 per bred heifer. The producer must check the Bred Heifer Option box on the Herd Retirement Bid Form and complete the Bred Heifer Option form. The Bred Heifer Option form must submitted to CWT with the Herd Retirement Bid Form. The producer must also submit a list of the producer’s farm ear tag numbers on the bred heifers.

As with the Herd Retirement, the producer will be entitled to retain the slaughter value of the animals. Whether a Producer chooses to offer bred heifers under this option will have no effect on whether his/her Herd Retirement bid is accepted. However, a producer's Herd Retirement Bid must be accepted in order for the offer of bred heifers to be accepted.

How much will a Producer receive from CWT if his/her offer of bred heifers is accepted?

CWT will pay $700 for each bred heifer it accepts in the program. Although dairies will have a wide range of bred heifers - from recently bred to springers - it is programmatically impossible for CWT to establish different prices for heifers at different stages.

How is pregnancy determined/who certifies a heifer is pregnant?

Pregnancy must be determined by a veterinarian, who will need to certify that all the bred heifers offered are at least 45 days pregnant. The producer must have the veterinarian’s certification available for the CWT farm auditor to review. CWT reserves the right to confirm the pregnancy of any bred heifers offered.

Can a producer just offer bred heifers?

No. A producer cannot just offer bred heifers. He/she must submit a bid to retire all milking and dry cows in the Herd Retirement in order to participate in the Bred Heifer Option.

Will a producer's bred heifer offer be accepted if his/her Herd Retirement Bid is not accepted?

No, a producer's offer of bred heifers will not be accepted if his/her Herd Retirement bid is not accepted.

Can a producer offer unbred heifers and calves?

No, the Bred Heifer Option is only for bred heifers whose pregnancy has been confirmed by a veterinarian. CWT does not consider heifers that have not been bred or calves part of a Producer's dairy herd. Those animals are not part of either a Producer's Herd Retirement Bid or the Producer's Bred Heifer offer, and so can be disposed of by the dairy farmer as he/she sees fit.

Does a producer have to offer all of his/her bred heifers if he/she chooses to take the option?

Yes, all bred heifers at all locations must be included in the offer.

What happens if a bred heifer calves before the CWT farm auditor gets to the dairy whose Herd Retirement Bid including the bred heifer option was accepted?

The animal is no longer a bred heifer, but rather a dairy cow. The animal will not be included in the bred heifer count and must be retired as part of the herd under the Herd Retirement Bid.

If a Herd Retirement Bid with the Bred Heifer Option is selected by CWT, when must the bred heifers be shipped to slaughter?

The Herd Retirement rules require that all cows go to slaughter within 15 days. Bred heifers must also go to slaughter not later than 15 days after the CWT farm auditor's visit.

What if bred heifers have recently been "treated" or medicated?

CWT will not approve or accept any bred heifers which are "treated" or medicated in any manner that prevents them from going immediately to slaughter. Producers selecting the bred heifer option are advised not to treat or medicate their bred heifers if they choose the Bred Heifer Option when they submit their Herd Retirement Bid.

Can bred heifers be sold for slaughter through a sale barn instead of directly to a slaughter plant?

Yes, as long as the bred heifers are moved or hauled directly to a slaughter plant from the sales yard and the numbered CWT ear tags are returned to the CWT offices by the slaughter plant. The Producer must notify the CWT farm auditor if the animals will be sold through a sale barn.

What if a producer decides to withdraw his Bred Heifer offer after his Herd Retirement bid and Bred Heifer offer are accepted by CWT?

The producer is required to pay liquidated damages of $6.00 per bred heifer offered or $600, whichever is greater.

What will the CWT farm auditor do if the Bred Heifer Option is selected?

The CWT farm auditor will verify the number of bred heifers being offered, review the pregnancy certification for all the bred heifers, check the animals to ensure that they are in good condition, provide CWT ear tags for the producer to identify the animals, and apply a special mark on each bred heifer.