To send a message to an author, click on the author's name at the end of an article. For heifers to calve at 22-24 months, they reach puberty at 12 to 14 months of age. Age at puberty is significantly affected by live weight gain from weaning to puberty. While a heifer needs to be a certain age at puberty, she must also achieve a necessary target weight. Feeding management strategy should be to have replacement heifers reach this target weight before the beginning of breeding season.
Nutrition plays a key role in a heifer's ability to reach a target weight and onset of puberty.
Energy and protein intake affect weight and overall body condition of the heifer. If a heifer is in poor condition, she will not begin to cycle. Nutritional status of heifers after weaning has a greater impact on reproduction performance than does pre-weaning gain. Forage quality has a direct influence on the nutrient intake of heifers. Feeding high energy levels post calving after the heifer has received low pre-calving energy levels does not fully correct the low conception rate.