Age to breed heifer

[Dave from MN]

My Simmental heifer will be a year in the begining of september. I have a rented bull here, red angus. She is in heat today, bull is frustrated but respecting the electric fence and barbs. She will be 12 months when she hits her next cycle. She is decent sized for her age, I would like to let her in with the herd and the bull and get her bred next cycle, I am only keeping the bull through sept if I can breed this Simmental at by oct, he only has one cow left open, then this heifer. Am I pushing her breeding at to young of an age? Otherwise I will have to (1) AI her, which will be interesting, she is quite spirited, (2) keep and feed that bull for a few more months, or (3) Not breed her until next summer when I get a bull after the cows freshen, which should be in may? August breed= may calve right?

 

[bigbull338]

if she weighs 700 to 750lbs.id go ahead an turn her in with the bull.an she should weigh 1000lbs at calving.ive calved some heifers at 21 months.an they was fine.

 

[CPL]

It's common for most people to calve heifer's at 2 yrs. (24 months) So just take 24 minus 9 and 15 months. That is about standard.

However if she's under weight, unhealthy, regaining from health I'd give her a little bit more time. I would expect her to be weighing near 1000 at breeding. I'm not sure where the 700 lbs was coming from. I would not breed her less than 14 months unless she is very growthy for her age. I just think you risk too much. ALso is this a light weight bull, clean smooth shouldered? I would try to get her AI'd. A hereford would go great on a simmi ;-)

 

[milkmaid]

I breed on weight more than age... if she's big enough, go for it. I've bred plenty of heifers as yearlings and I know dairies that start breeding all their heifers at 12 months of age.

CPL -- most people figure on breeding a heifer at 65% of her mature weight, and anywhere from 600-850lbs is normal breeding weight for heifers, depending on their breed.

 

[msscamp]

It's common for most people to calve heifer's at 2 yrs. (24 months) So just take 24 minus 9 and 15 months. That is about standard.

Actually, that is not about standard. Stop and think about it for a minute - you have 50 head of cattle and, assuming a defined breeding period, your bull is in with those girls for 2-3 months. If your bull is in with your cows year round, then the difference in age is going to be much wider because you're carrying late breeders. There is no way all 50 head are going to cycle on the same day, or that the bull can cover them even if they did - so you have age differences in your calves from the git go. Do you honestly think a rancher can afford to seperate heifers to breed them at 15 months? Not likely. They wean en masse at a certain time, the bull goes out at a certain time, and any heifer that is not up to par for their operation is culled. Assuming a 3 month breeding period, that means there is a 3 month age difference in those heifers. We started calving mid March, and the bull was put in with the heifers a month earlier than the cows - so that was mid May. We had quite a few heifers bred at 12 months of age.

 

[nap]

Do you have any information on the breeding history of the bull? If he throws low birth weigh calves there shouldn't be a problem. If his calves are massive it might be better to wait a little longer.

 

[CPL]

msscamp and milkmaid, I value your information and input in alot of posts, but more often then not I see the numbers I wrote flown around the most. I will admit looking back that the 1000 lbs YW number is a little out of range for most moderate framed cattle that are becoming popular today. But I know 2 yr old is the age alot of heifers calve. Studies have proven it to be the most practical and profitable age to calve for the first time, and I personally would be concerned if a heifer calved at past 26 months. I have never had a heifer calve that was bred at yearling, but I know a few breeders that have had that problem and a). they have had to pull the calf and/or b). the heifer was stunted in growth/had to have extra feed to get her back in condition.

Age at puberty is most important as a production trait when heifers are bred to calve as 2-year-olds and in systems that impose restricted breeding seasons. The number of heifers that become pregnant during their first breeding season and within a defined period correlates with the number that exhibit estrus early in the breeding season. Heifers that calve first as 2-year-olds produce more calves during a lifetime than do heifers that calve first at three years of age or older.

http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/ansci/g02041.htm

msscamp, 15 would be ideal to get right on 2 yrs old. I think 14 and 15 is within good range like TNMBP stated. I pointed out 15 is ideal. The one asking this question has one heifer, so he'd have the ideal time to do it. But if you've been in the cattle business any longer than 1 day you probably know pretty well ideal does not even happen half of the time.

 

[milkmaid]

CPL -- I don't have a problem with the comment that most people breed to calve as 2 y/o's as I agree with that. 24 months, sometimes a bit younger in order to calve the heifers before the cow herd.

However, I wouldn't agree that breeding at 12 months is a "problem." It IS possible to have heifers big enough to breed as yearlings and do fine; neither stunted nor needing extra feed after calving. I'm talking about deliberate breeding, not accidental breeding. It's more common on dairies, as the sooner the heifer enters the milking herd the sooner she starts making money, but some beef folks do it too.

I expect my dairy and crossbred heifers to be big enough to breed as yearlings and be calving between 1100 and 1400lbs. Definitely doable and it doesn't break the bank either.

 

[Brute 23]

CPL -- I don't have a problem with the comment that most people breed to calve as 2 y/o's as I agree with that. 24 months, sometimes a bit younger in order to calve the heifers before the cow herd.

However, I wouldn't agree that breeding at 12 months is a "problem."

I agree, but I personally wouldn't breed them at a year. Two or three more months isn't going to break the bank. I would rather be a little late than early.