heifer development

[S&S Farms]

After going to an ABS meeting this week I got to thinking on what was said about heifer development. We should not push them at all after weaning until approx 60-70 days before breeding and then feed them hard to flush them into some fleah without getting them over fat, stay in the BCS of 5 - 5.5. I was wondering how many are doing that already. The percentage bred to AI was at least 5 percent better over the way alot of us have been doing it.

Curious what others are doing.

 

[vclavin]

Our vet has us flush them at least 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after start date. Standing heat AI was much better but have gone to time breeding due to the Tech's schedule.
Valerie

 

[dun]

That's pretty much what we do but we don;t feed anythign special to flush them. They get turned out with the bred cows 45 days after weaning and spend the winter and spring with them. Their winter gain is very slow. Come March when the grass comes on they really bloom and are more then ready to breed the end of May.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

After going to an ABS meeting this week I got to thinking on what was said about heifer development. We should not push them at all after weaning until approx 60-70 days before breeding and then feed them hard to flush them into some fleah without getting them over fat, stay in the BCS of 5 - 5.5. I was wondering how many are doing that already. The percentage bred to AI was at least 5 percent better over the way alot of us have been doing it.

Curious what others are doing.

We background our heifers through the winter at about a 1.25 to 1.5 lbs/day gain, turn them on grass in May and let them gain what they will. Breed the first of August for 48 days. We want heifers that breed on our grass that don't require grain or energy supplementation. There are all sorts of things one can do to manage, support fertility/productivity, ultimately it depends on your selection goals. Our selection goals are for cattle that don't need flushing except what they can get from the grass.

 

[Beacake]

Noob question, what do you guys mean by flushing? Im only familiar with it in an ET setting.

 

[dun]

Noob question, what do you guys mean by flushing? Im only familiar with it in an ET setting.

Other then with ET or toilets, flushing is having them on a rapidly gaining plane of nutrition