* Consider selling manure. University of Illinois Extension dairy educator Dave Fischer said there is no need to buy commercial fertilizer when manure can do the same thing. "Once you have your fields manured to the nutrient content for that crop year, talk to your neighbors. Give them a good deal on selling it," he said.

* Make marketing decisions earlier on cull cows not only for animal welfare, but also for economics. Producers can make more by selling animals in better condition. The university feeds cull cows, using feed refused by the lactating herd, for up to 60 days to boost body condition, weight and dollar value.

* Focus on replacement heifer management from birth on in the herd. Fischer stressed the importance of consistent nutrient supplies for calves while weighing the cost of using milk replacer and a feeding program to maintain 1.8 pounds of average daily gain.

"It's keeping them alive, getting them bred at the proper age and having them grow well enough to calve at 24 months of age," Fischer said.