How big do heifers need to be to breed?

We would like for her to weigh at least 65% of her mature weight at first breeding, or at least 780 pounds. This "target weight" is important because if heifers are better developed, they will cycle and breed better.

How old do heifers need to be to breed?

Most heifers will reach puberty and be bred by 12 to 14 months of age and will be between 55% and 65% of their mature weight when they first begin to exhibit estrous cycles.

What should an ideal breeding heifer have?

Most results indicate that we can develop heifers to 51%-58% of mature body weight and achieve very acceptable pregnancy rates. If your average cow weighs 1,390 lbs. (and many do), a heifer would need to weigh 904 lbs. at breeding in a traditional system, but only 709-806 lbs., according to the recent research.

Can a heifer be bred at 6 months?

The range in age at puberty based on breed can be from 6 months to 18 or 20 months of age. With the goal to have heifers calve at 24 months, heifers need to be bred by 14 or 15 months of age.

Should you keep a heifers first calf?

Time quickly gets away when you're a cow-calf operator, but it's essential to keep the first calf heifers on track. Heifers conceiving early in their first breeding season will have increased lifetime production and efficiency.

Strategic Farm: Heifers – to breed or to buy?

When should you put a bull on a heifer?

Bulls will be turned in with heifers in March and with cows in April. Evaluate bulls, trim feet, line up breeding soundness exams and decide on buying new bulls. A cow's nutrient needs increase by at least 50% after calving. If possible, separate dry cows from cow-calf pairs to feed more efficiently.

How many times can you breed a heifer?

Theoretically, a cow could give birth more than once during a year if she rebreeds quickly. Good management practices when raising cattle recommend waiting to rebreed cattle until their calves are older. If a cow rebreeds within 82 days of calving, she will give birth in one year.

What is the best bull to put on heifers?

A true heifer bull will have calving ease EPDs well above breed average. However, in most cases, bulls within maternal-based breeds such as Angus, with only moderately high calving ease EPDs are suitable to use on well-developed heifers within continental breeds such as Simmental.

How do you prepare a heifer for breeding?

How often do heifers come in heat?

After puberty, a heifer continues to have regular estrous cycles every 21 days (the normal range is every 18 to 24 days). The estrous cycle in cattle is complex and regulated by several hormones and organs (see Figure 1). Figure 1 —Phases of the bovine estrous cycle.

Can a 7 month old bull breed a cow?

Overall, bulls reach puberty between the ages of 9 and 10 months. About three weeks before reaching puberty, male calves begin showing interest in the opposite sex. However, just because the bull is capable of breeding before reaching his first birthday doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Can a yearling bull breed cows?

The accepted rule of thumb is that a bull can breed one cow per month of age. During the first breeding season with a yearling bull, observe the herd at least daily to determine if the bull is following, mounting and servicing cows in heat. Note cows being bred and see if they are coming back into heat 21 days later.

What do you feed a first heifer calf?

Supplement first-calf heifers with grains (energy) like corn, corn silage, or barley before they lose body condition. “Thin heifers don't breed back quickly, if at all,” says Bjurstrom. “If she rebreeds late, it will take several lactations to get her back on track with the rest of the herd.

How do you bring a heifer into heat?

The injection of prostaglandin causes any cows with a corpus luteum present on one of their ovaries to regress, ceasing progesterone production. This then triggers the cows to come into heat/estrus.

What age should heifers calve?

Heifers must reach puberty by 15 months-of-age if they are to calve by 24 months. Therefore, heifers that reach puberty at an earlier age than their counterparts prior to breeding (due to nutrition, genetics, environment, etc.) are more likely to experience multiple estrous cycles before the breeding season.

How long should a bull run with heifers?

minimum 45 days for bulls run with cows (if bulls are not run with the cows for long enough, the calving percentage is decreased).

What is the easiest calving bull?

Ivor: Limousin bull

Ivor is extremely easy-calving; 2.5% calving difficulty on beef cows and 6% calving difficulty on beef heifers. Furthermore, he has almost 5,000 records on heifers.”

What breed of cow is the easiest to birth calves?

Salers sired calves are small compared to those from many other breeds, with heifers typically 30-35kg and bulls 35-40kg. These low birth weights in combination with the Salers slender calf conformation are the secret of the Salers effortless easy calving.

Is it OK for a bull to breed his daughter?

You can have father-daughter matings in beef cattle, but it is not recommended. This type of breeding practice is called inbreeding or close breeding. Again, this breeding practice is rarely practiced today, although it was common in the foundation animals of most breeds.

Can you breed brother and sister cows?

Mating of beef cattle that are close relatives (brother-sister, sire-daughter, son-dam) produces high levels of inbreeding. Inbreeding generally is detrimental to long-term reproductive performance and growth. Highly inbred cattle are also more susceptible to environmental stress and health problems.

How old are heifers when they are first artificially inseminated?

The decision to breed heifers to calve between 22 and 23 months of age needs to begin before they are ready for first insemination. Set goals and monitor growth to ensure replacement heifers are reaching breeding size targets by 12 to 13 months of age.

Will a bull mount a pregnant cow?

True oestrus begins when the female assumes the mating stance so that the male may mount and copulate. It does not normally occur during pregnancy in farm animals, although it is known to occur sporadically in cattle.

How long should a bull stay with cows?

Leave bull B alone with the cows for at least two weeks, and for the rest of the breeding season if his body condition stays above a score of 5. It is critical to favor this young bull during his first breeding season. Turn bull A back out with the cows after bull B has had his two-week learning experience.

Can you breed a bull back to his mother?

What are the do's and don'ts of breeding a bull to his daughter, mother, granddaughter, or sister? Mating any of the above would result in a high level of inbreeding. Generally speaking, inbreeding of this nature should be avoided.

What do you feed a yearling heifer?

Feed high-quality grass or hay, Accuration^® Liquid Supplement or Accuration^® Hi-Fat Block, and Wind and Rain^® Storm^® Cattle Mineral. Set replacement heifers up to take the place of existing females and be better than your current cow herd. By putting a total program together, you're not leaving anything to chance.