How old???

[dompeters84]

At what age would you AI a heifer? I've got a few that will be 18 months when I'm wanting to do it. Will they be to young? They are all black angus.

 

[cow pollinater]

Eighteen months is plenty old enough. Most people shoot for fourteen-fifteen months so that they can get the heifers on the same schedule as the cows and that works just fine.

 

[oscar p]

I have never had any AI'd, But I have always but my heifers in with the bull at 15 months old.

 

[xxbrand]

At eighteen months she should be 65 or 70 per cent of the average mature weight of the older cows, so she is definitely old enought to A.I.

 

[bigbull338]

yes you can AI breed them at 18 months old.an as said alot breed them at 15 months.but i like to breed them by size rather than age.wich means some can be bred at 12 months.an 15 to 16 months at the latest.

 

[dun]

Just bear in mind that if you breed them now you'll have winter calves nursing

 

[dompeters84]

so what is the youngest you would AI?

 

[bigbull338]

if they weigh 750 or better id start AIing them at 12 months.an try AI for 3 heat cycles an then turn them with the bull.

 

[sizmic]

I have one that I bred at 10 1/2 mos. She weighed 1100 pounds. She's still here growing big calves every year. She will have produced 5 calves by the time she's 5 1/2 yrs old. Not many animals out there can say that. However she is the exception, not the rule. That all adds up to an extra calf every 6 yrs. That will more than pay for the flushing she will get this year.

Now the rule at our farm. Heifers get bred at 15 mos. or they get gone. 2 doses of AI at the most. Angus heifers are more than fertile at 12 mos. as a general rule. But, others have provided some sound advice in waiting until they reach the right weight. We like ours at 800#'s before breeding but thats not a rule.


Sizmic

 

[backhoeboogie]

I had some calve at 18 months. Not intended of course.

One of the most profitables in the herd Calved at 18 months and survived all of the drought culling. She calves every 10 1/2 months. Went 11 once. Just can't cull her even tho she's not a favorite. She raises good calves and is an F-3.