i have noticed that a number of people prefer to retain or buy heifers that are born earlier in the year, assuming that the ones born later stand the chance of becoming late breeders. i can see validity in this argument, but if this were truly the case wouldnt a late breeding cow eventually back up far enough to be back in the front of the calving cycle? couldnt a cow being later calving be due to environmental factors that set her back years before? such as if she werent exposed until later or exposed too soon and didnt breed back due to calving at a young age? i have purchased some late summer/early fall born heifers i put a bull in with them in december. the mommas to these heifers were fall calvers and still are. my intention is that when they calve (depending on how they bred of course) put a bull with them after i pull the calves off. hopefully that would be about the same time i usually put the bull with the rest of the herd for late winter/early spring calving the following year. mississippi winters usually arent too bad . i know there are many different thoughts on raising and breeding heifers as far as cost, age to breed , etc. it really wouldnt bother me to put the bull in with the heifers(in december) after they calve in the fall and just leave him in until june. my thought is that even if they have trouble breeding back i can wean the calves at the end of march and the should pick up quickly and breed with the fresh green grass and reduced stress. i prefer this scenario over having heifers calve in late spring or early summer. then we would be dealing with extreme heat while raising a baby and breeding back,thus possibly having summer calves the following year. i would like to add that i have more time in fall and winter to deal with calving, i prefer to be done calving by mid march... any unput is welcomed.