Abstract
Heifer development continues to be one of the largest expenses to cow-calf operations, primarily due to cost of feed. Replacement heifers should be bred to calve at 24 months of age in order to maximize lifetime productivity of breeding females. Therefore, heifers should conceive at 15 months of age and achieve puberty at 13–14 months of age because heifers are infertile on the pubertal estrous cycle. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Phillip Lancaster and Cliff Lamb, and published by the UF Department of Animal Sciences, September 2014.
AN305/AN305: Targeting ADG of Developing Replacement Heifers Using Age and Body Weight (ufl.edu)
References
Clanton, D. C., L. E. Jones, and M. E. England. 1983. Effect of rate and time of gain after weaning on the development of replacement beef heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 56: 280-285. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1983.562280x
Gasser, C. L., D. E. Grum, M. L. Mussard, F. L. Fluharty, J. E. Kinder, and M. L. Day. 2006. Induction of precocious puberty in heifers I: Enhanced secretion of luteinizing hormone. J. Anim. Sci. 84: 2035-2041. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2005-636
Hall, J. B., R. B. Staigmiller, R. E. Short, R. A. Bellows, M. D. MacNeil, and S. E. Bellows. 1997. Effect of age and pattern of gain on induction of puberty with progestin in beef heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 75: 1606-1611. https://doi.org/10.2527/1997.7561606x
Lynch, J. M., G. C. Lamb, B. L. Miller, R. T. Brandt, Jr., R. C. Cochran, and J. E. Minton. 1997. Influence of timing of gain on growth and reproductive performance of beef replacement heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 75: 1715-1722. https://doi.org/10.2527/1997.7571715x
Moriel, P., S. E. Johnson, J. M. B. Vendramini, V. R. G. Mercadante, M. J. Hersom, and J. D. Arthington. 2014. Effects of calf weaning age and subsequent management system on growth and reproductive performance of beef heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 3096-3107. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-7389
Nelsen, T. C., C. R. Long, and T. C. Cartwright. 1982. Postinflection growth in straightbred and crossbred cattle. II. Relationships among weight, height, and pubertal characteristics. J. Anim. Sci. 55: 293-304. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas1982.552293x