How young can heffers be bred?

[KNERSIE]

the rule of thumb is breed at 65% of expected mature weight and get her to 80% of expected mature weight by the time she calves for first time.

I personally breed my herefords at 350kg, but will evaluate a heifer for maturity if she didn't quite made 350kg. If she looks like a breeding age heifer and not like a calf anymore, I'll breed her anyway. (350kg =771lbs)

For my expected mature weight I work on 1200lbs, although they will range from 1200lbs -1350lbs.

 

[dun]

the rule of thumb is breed at 65% of expected mature weight and get her to 80% of expected mature weight by the time she calves for first time.

I personally breed my herefords at 350kg, but will evaluate a heifer for maturity if she didn't quite made 350kg. If she looks like a breeding age heifer and not like a calf anymore, I'll breed her anyway. (350kg =771lbs)

For my expected mature weight I work on 1200lbs, although they will range from 1200lbs -1350lbs.

I just went back and checked some weights. Our retained heiferss on pasture only from weaning to breeding, average btween 300-350 gane from weaning in august/september to spring workup in april. So by the time breeding season rolls around, late may, the will average probably 850-900. (That's pounds, too lazy to convert to kilo)

dun

 

[cowvet]

OK, so I'm a bit baffled by this. I have a new calf. No big deal right? The thing is the momma is only about eighteen months old. With the gestational period that would put the breeding around seven months old right? Could this be possible?

I have done a caesarian on a 14 month old Jersey heifer - the calf was full term...

If faced with this situation you have a couple of options
1) abort early with prostaglandins
2) let them go to full term but be ready with expert assistance available nearby and a high chance of a caesarian
3) induce them with steroids - this initiates a more "natural" calving by mimicing the natural hormones produced that start the calving process. They can be induced up to 12 weeks from their expected calving date with good results - you sacrifice the life of the calf for the life of the heifer. There are complications associated with inducing (retained membranes etc). I would expect/hope it is a "vet only" procedure in the US as it is here in NZ

 

[dun]

I would expect/hope it is a "vet only" procedure in the US as it is here in NZ

Interesting that you should mention that. There was a poster a while back from I think Belguim that raised Belguian Blues and did his on C-sections. It was considered just a normal procedure there.

dun

 

[Northern Rancher]

I breed my heifers in August-we calve in May-if they've gotten big enough they get bred if they haven't they get fed.