Developing replacement beef heifers

The replacement heifer represents the next generation of genetic progress for the cow herd. Producers invest a substantial amount of capital in these females, even if they fail to become pregnant. In order to get a return on this investment, it is imperative that these heifers become pregnant early in the first breeding season, calve with a minimum of dystocia, breed back in a timely fashion, and then continue to be productive for a number of years. Practitioners working with heifer development programs need to emphasize a systemic approach that evaluates these females at critical times. These programs need to address such areas as weaning and nutritional management, genetic selection, prebreeding evaluation, the breeding season, and heifer management from pregnancy examination through the end of their first calving season. This increased level of scrutiny should not end until the heifer weans her first calf and is determined to be pregnant the second time. This type of program will ensure optimal reproductive rates, female longevity, and a positive return on the producer's investment.