Technical Note (TN744): Management of Replacement Heifers into the Suckler Herd

The goal of breeding heifer management is to produce a healthy, productive animal that produces a calf annually as part of the herd. This technical note will focus on managing heifers to achieve a target age at first calving of two years and cover the areas of nutrition and target growth rates, selection of replacement heifers, the importance of bull selection and breeding management.

Summary

• Careful management of replacement beef heifers is required for their successful entry into the breeding herd, especially when targeting calving at two years of age.
• Nutritional management is crucial for heifers to achieve the growth target of at least 60% of mature body weight at service, as well as still meeting their growth requirements and pregnancy needs over their first calving period.
• Fertility management for heifers should involve a six-week mating period, one month before the main herd is mated, allowing heifers longer to recover and start cycling post-calving.
• Bull selection is critical and targeted use of bulls with estimated breeding values (EBVs) for easy calving and low birth weight will reduce the risk of dystocia.

Read Technical Note (TN744): Management of Replacement Heifers into the Suckler Herd here