The Heifer Breeding Conundrum: When to Breed – 12, 15, 18, or 24 Months?
As a stud or commercial breeder, the question of when to breed heifers is a common challenge. In South Africa, as in much of the world, most farmers run a single breeding season. However, there are those who manage two seasons, and some who opt to leave bulls with the herd year-round. For stud breeders, having defined breeding seasons is almost a necessity unless working within a highly intensive system.
Each breeding season presents its own set of challenges, one of the most critical being when to breed heifers. If you operate a single breeding season, you generally have two options: breeding at 12-15 months or waiting until 24-27 months. For those with two breeding seasons, the window opens from 12 to 24 months.
In South Africa, the conundrum often revolves around the genetics of early versus late maturation. When breeding consistently at 12-15 months, you're naturally selecting for early-maturing genetics. However, if breeding occurs at 24-27 months, it becomes harder to distinguish between early and late-maturing traits. While this may not pose a significant issue within your own herd or in herds that follow the same breeding season, it can become a problem when genetics are traded between herds with different breeding schedules.
Bulls, for example, should theoretically perform similarly regardless of the season they're bred in. However, they might end up at a ranch with a different breeding season, leading to mismatched performance expectations their heifer progeny when it comes time to mate them.
In the USA, where much of the country follows a single breeding season and heifers are often bred at 12 months, this may not be as big of a concern. But in regions further south with harsher climates, early breeding may not be feasible.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of different breeding ages, and how, perhaps unintentionally, we might be influencing genetics through our breeding choices.
Regards
D
As a stud or commercial breeder, the question of when to breed heifers is a common challenge. In South Africa, as in much of the world, most farmers run a single breeding season. However, there are those who manage two seasons, and some who opt to leave bulls with the herd year-round. For stud breeders, having defined breeding seasons is almost a necessity unless working within a highly intensive system.
Each breeding season presents its own set of challenges, one of the most critical being when to breed heifers. If you operate a single breeding season, you generally have two options: breeding at 12-15 months or waiting until 24-27 months. For those with two breeding seasons, the window opens from 12 to 24 months.
In South Africa, the conundrum often revolves around the genetics of early versus late maturation. When breeding consistently at 12-15 months, you're naturally selecting for early-maturing genetics. However, if breeding occurs at 24-27 months, it becomes harder to distinguish between early and late-maturing traits. While this may not pose a significant issue within your own herd or in herds that follow the same breeding season, it can become a problem when genetics are traded between herds with different breeding schedules.
Bulls, for example, should theoretically perform similarly regardless of the season they're bred in. However, they might end up at a ranch with a different breeding season, leading to mismatched performance expectations their heifer progeny when it comes time to mate them.
In the USA, where much of the country follows a single breeding season and heifers are often bred at 12 months, this may not be as big of a concern. But in regions further south with harsher climates, early breeding may not be feasible.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of different breeding ages, and how, perhaps unintentionally, we might be influencing genetics through our breeding choices.
Regards
D