ksmit454
Well-known member
At what age do you breed heifers?
What age is ideal to breed heifers?
- Thread starter ksmit454
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For most breeds I'd say 15 months.
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ksmit454
Well-known member
Thanks, I'm purchasing some registered angus heifers and have never bred first time heifers, only cows.
You could always have you vet take a pelvic measurement on each heifer to make sure they are fully developed. We just go by size and the 15 month rule of thumb.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
14 months whenever possible (given her size) is ideal
15-16 months is good
any over 21 months always go to slaughter
ideally I want them calving at 1y 11m - 2y 0m
15-16 months is good
any over 21 months always go to slaughter
ideally I want them calving at 1y 11m - 2y 0m
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Ky hills
Well-known member
@TennesseeTuxedo has good suggestions there. 15 months is what I have always thought of as the desired age. and 700-800 lbs as a reliable weight. We also like to pelvic measure at around a year old. We cull anything that doesn't measure at least 150 cm. If we are keeping our heifers and are confident in the calving ease of the bull, then I have sometimes let them get bred a little younger than 15 months,
BC
Well-known member
They need to weigh 65% of their mature weight at time of breeding.
Yup, going with pelvic measurements (except mine are done at 11 months when they get their BANGS), bred at 15 months, calving at 24. Give or take. 150 minimum score is my goal and I use a high calving ease bull, which doesn't necessarily mean super low birth weight.
FlyingLSimmentals
Well-known member
Like calving ours at 25 months. Sometimes I'll do different considering when their birthday is or what time of the year they'll be calving.
KAstocker
Well-known member
I suppose it depends what your goal is. If you're trying to get the most pregnant, wait to calve later. If you want to keep the best and most fertile ones, calve early. The earlier you can get them bred, the more time they will have to get bred for their second calf, which is the most challenging. The most profitable cows are the ones that calve at the beginning of the calving season. It's hard to get cows to move up in the calving season, so the earlier you can get the heifers started, the better.
Son of Butch
Well-known member
excellent point ka
jerry27150
Well-known member
mine are born mostly in march-april put with bull may 15
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ksmit454
Well-known member
Some excellent info here, thank you to all! This will be my first go round with breeding heifers. I am getting them in May, so I'm pretty excited to start the registered side of things (currently have commercial Herefords). I'm in California, how important is the bangs vaccine? I figured if I get the heifers in May, they will be about 12 months old. I'll have the vet come do a pelvic measurement and talk to her about Bangs vaccine too. I plan on breeding for spring calving too.
Hpacres440p
Well-known member
Bangs is usually done earlier than 12 mo, so you may miss your window for that.
KAstocker
Well-known member
I believe bangs vaccine is regional anymore. Around here, it's not really needed, but probably most people still do it. I do think seedstock people always get bangs in case you sell to a region that needs it. I'd just do whatever your vet recommends.
SBMF 2015
Well-known member
We pelvic measure at 10-11mos. just because their in the chute to get freeze branded at that time. The rule of thumb that I have always used Is 140sqcm at 13 mos old.
We try to calve our hfrs a month earlier than our cows so the hfrs calve at 22-23 mos.
Most people around here don't BANG's vacc. Still a lot of older producers that had a bad experience with the old strain 19 BANG's vacc. They sell feeder cattle and don't see any value in it.
We try to calve our hfrs a month earlier than our cows so the hfrs calve at 22-23 mos.
Most people around here don't BANG's vacc. Still a lot of older producers that had a bad experience with the old strain 19 BANG's vacc. They sell feeder cattle and don't see any value in it.
@ksmit454, the following link is a good explanation of pelvic measurements & dyscotia. Work closely with your vet.
extension.missouri.edu
Pelvic Measurements and Calving Difficulty | MU Extension
Although researchers agree that birth weight is the most important measurable trait affecting calving difficulty, there is evidence that the size and shape of the pelvis also affect a heifer’s ability to calve. | Reviewed by Jordan Thomas Assistant Professor, Animal Sciences David J. Patterson...
P.S. last year, one of my heifers scored a whopping 232 pelvic measurement at 11 months. Holy beef baby!!!!
Brucellosis has been all but eliminated in US domestic cattle. The only place it is found now, is in the western herds of elk and bison, like in Yellowstone. I would imagine those ranchers that graze federal lands, where their cattle may come in contact with wild bison or elk, vaccinate.
