This article discusses the aspects of the dairy that need to be examined when making the decision to raise heifers or to contract with a custom heifer raising facility.  To make this decision, the producers has several questions to answer, including labor issues, current facilities, heifer freshening age, state of capital to invest in a heifer raiser and the transformation of current heifer facilities to an alternative use.  Once these questions have been examined, an educated decision can be made.