Effect of heifer source on reproductive performance, culling, marketing and profitability for a commercial heifer development program

Replacement Heifer Development

segment of the integrated management program in an efficient beef cow production system. The main objective should be to develop an adequate number of heifers to a point where they reach puberty and are cycling regularly at the start of the breeding season. In addition, they should have adequate pelvic area to deliver a reasonable size calf unassisted. Because of her increased nutritional needs...

Extensive Heifer Development Systems

Factors influencing heifer survival and fertility on commercial dairy farms.

The average dairy cow survives only three lactations, reducing the availability of replacement heifers. Prenatal losses occur due to early embryonic mortality (about 40%), later embryo loss (up to 20% in high-yielding herds) or abortion (about 5%). A recent survey of 19 UK herds showed that 7.9% of calves were born dead and 3.4% died within 1 month. During the rearing phase, 6.7% of animals wer...

Heifer Development – Then and Now

Effect of heifer-raising practices on E. coli antimicrobial resistance and Salmonella prevalence in heifer raisers.

Although cattle movement and commingling play an important role in the inter-herd transmission of pathogens, little is known about the effect of commingling of heifers at raising operations. The objective of this study was to compare the resistance of E. coli and prevalence of Salmonella from pooled faecal pats of heifers raised off-farm at multi-source raisers (MULTI) that raised heifers from ...