Heifer development, while challenging, is a rewarding task that shapes the future of your herd. The transformation of young heifers into productive mothers is a process that, with careful planning and management, can lead to long-term success. Every decision, from nutrition to breeding, has a lasting impact on the productivity of your herd, instilling a sense of optimism and motivation for the future.
One of the biggest challenges in heifer development is the upfront cost. You’ll be investing in these young animals long before you see any return. This investment can be risky for some producers, as you’re spending money on feed, care, and management, hoping the heifer will eventually “earn her keep.” Though it may seem daunting, with the right plan in place, the process can be more straightforward than it appears.
By following a few key steps, you can make heifer development a manageable and efficient part of your operation. Careful planning of nutrition, health, and breeding schedules can ease the process and help ensure that your investment pays off. A well-developed heifer will not only produce healthy calves but also contribute to your herd’s long-term productivity.
Develop a plan
Now, this might seem pretty straightforward, but many people do not take the time to put “pen to paper” and properly plan out what they are going to do. Doing this one simple step will help you by putting you ahead of the curve. You will be able to visualize what will go into your heifer development program and see what areas will need help.
The main thing you will see by simply writing out what you need is whether it will even be worth your time and resources. In some cases, it would be cheaper for a producer to buy bred first-calf heifers rather than raise them. The one thought you should remember while doing this is the time and resources you are willing to commit to.
What I would stress the most about this is to look at it honestly rather than what you would like to be able to do.
You should look at your facilities and see if they are up to the task. Also, take into account what feed resources you have available on the ranch. Things like the amount and quality of your forages are what you should be thinking about here.
Choose the correct heifer for development.
Now that you have looked at your available resources and that it will be worth your time, consider selecting the correct heifer for this. Choosing the correct heifer is paramount in determining whether your new program will succeed.
One way to look at this is to consider it a job posting for a company. In that job posting, the company will list the qualifications it knows the candidate should possess to do the job effectively. The same applies when selecting what heifers to purchase or keep.
The selection process that you will use should have a set of minimum qualifications. These are traits that are needed to help you in making your ranch profitable. Things like minimum body weight, minimum age, and structural soundness are some traits that you could use. These qualifications are entirely up to you and what you need, so don’t worry about being too strict.
Ideally, everyone would like to have a heifer that will breed early and raise a healthy calf every time. If a heifer cannot do this, you should look at culling that heifer. Culling is the process of removing animals from a group based on specific criteria. In this case, it means removing heifers that are not meeting the desired breeding and calving standards.
Make sure the heifer is ready for breeding.
Though a particular heifer may check off all the boxes you are looking for, she will only do you good if she can be bred. In order to give her the best chance, you will need to make sure that she has reached puberty and has started to cycle before your planned breeding season has begun.
The three main factors that affect the timing of puberty are:
- breed
- age
- body weight
In most breeds, puberty typically occurs between 12 and 14 months of age. If the heifer does not reach this age by the time your breeding season begins, you will need to get rid of it. Studies have shown that “late breeders” are not as productive over their lifetime compared to the ones that breed early in the season.
Regardless of breed, the heifer should weigh approximately 65% of her expected mature body weight before she can hit puberty. If you need help getting the heifers to reach this in time, you have to look at changing the nutrition amount that you are providing them or start selecting for smaller framed cows. Frame size refers to the skeletal size of the cow, and smaller framed cows tend to reach puberty earlier and require less feed to maintain their body condition.
Importance of nutrition for heifer development
Getting a first-calf heifer ready for her second breeding can be more challenging than her first, mainly because her nutritional needs are much higher. Not only is she nursing a calf, but she is also still growing herself. For this reason, ensuring she is in the proper body condition when she calves again is crucial, as this will directly impact her overall health and ability to breed back successfully.
Knowing your forages’ nutrients is essential before you begin the feeding process. Testing your forages can determine if any crucial nutrients are lacking. This information helps you decide what types of supplements will be needed to support the heifer’s growth and milk production, ensuring she stays healthy throughout this critical time.
When it comes to providing supplements, it’s essential to start early—before any signs of deficiency are visible. If you wait until your cows are already showing signs of nutrient deficiency, it will cost you more in the long run because their bodies will need to play “catch up.” By planning ahead, you can avoid these issues and keep your heifers and calves in good condition.
The benefits of forage raised
As I mentioned earlier, one benefit of raising heifers on forage is the reduced costs. At the time of breeding, forage-raised heifers reach breeding age at about 80 to 100 lbs lighter than the others. And they will be in better body condition because they have already gotten used to eating forages.
Now, you may be asking, “But what about the break-even point?“. According to these studies, the forage-raised heifers became profitable at 3 to 4 years of age. The heifers developed conventionally paid for themselves 9 to 10 years ago.
Another advantage to low-cost development is that these heifers will last longer in the cowherd. Research from New Mexico and Montana showed that 30 to 60% of these heifers were still in the herd after five years of age. They pay for themselves quicker, and they are still producing longer.
Once that heifer has a calf on the ground, you can continue the nutrition. Because the heifer will be going into lactation, its needs will actually be even more significant. In a previous post, “Importance of nutrition after calving, ” I talk more about this subject.
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