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Incidence of precocious puberty in developing beef heifers
M E Wehrman1, F N Kojima, T Sanchez
1Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583-0908, USA.
Journal of Animal Science
|October 1, 1996
Summary
Precocious puberty occurs in beef heifers, with up to 25% showing early luteal function. Exposure to a bull did not influence the incidence of this condition in the study.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Science
- Reproductive Biology
- Animal Science
Background:
- Precocious puberty, defined as puberty onset before 300 days of age, can impact reproductive efficiency in beef heifers.
- Understanding factors influencing puberty onset is crucial for optimizing beef cattle production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of precocious puberty in beef heifers.
- To investigate the effect of exposure to a bull on the incidence of precocious puberty.
Main Methods:
- 120 heifer calves were assigned to pasture with or without a bull from 140 days of age.
- Weekly blood sampling monitored luteal function to determine puberty onset, duration, and cessation.
- Precocious puberty was defined as luteal function onset before 300 days of age.
Main Results:
- The incidence of precocious puberty was significantly higher in 1990 (25%) compared to 1991 (8.3%).
- Exposure to a bull had no significant effect on the incidence of precocious puberty.
- No significant effect of year was observed on the age of precocious puberty, duration of luteal function, or age at anestrus resumption.
Conclusions:
- Precocious puberty is a naturally occurring phenomenon in developing beef heifers.
- The presence of a bull during development does not alter the likelihood of heifers experiencing precocious puberty.
- Variations in incidence between years suggest other environmental or management factors may influence precocious puberty.