What age to breed heifers

I ran the math and would love to hear others thoughts. Our goal is to produce cows that we can breed young and last until they are in their late teens. It takes good management and the right genetics to do both.

[@anthonyhall8356]

Well, now dangit you might have made me change my mind about some of that a little bit.

[@JangusGenetics]

Happy to help encourage some thinking on the subject. Good luck in your operation.

[@erikmallea1014]

Great discussion. Breeding at 15 months makes sense, and if you are conscientious about retaining only the stock for which that programme works well with, I have to think that over time you are improving your herd genetics to earlier fertility and easier-keeping cows

[@JangusGenetics]

I agree that’s the goal. We will be using our own bulls selected from our best and oldest cows to help more the program faster as well.

[@garywoods148]

Great explanation. I raise my own replacements Angus Heifers and turn out a black Corrente bull when they are between 12 and 14 months old. I turn the bull out right around the first part of June. They should raise 450 to 480 pound calves at weening. I then move them in with the Angus bulls around the middle of May knowing that they will have a harder time breeding back. I pull the Bull after 60 days and preg check at 90 to 100 days. The open Heifers get one more chance to be Bred around Dec 15th for 60 more days they then become part of my fall calver's If they miss again they go to town.

[@JangusGenetics]

Sounds like a good program. Do you use a corrente for calving ease or just like the cross?

[@garywoods148]

Mostly for calving ease, but I did keep 3 cross heifers back this year. In fact I just had their calf-hood vaccinations on Monday and they are right about 50-60 lighter than my full blood Angus Heifers at 10-12 months of age. @@JangusGenetics

[@JangusGenetics]

I would say my heifers usually wean about 10-15% lighter on the same bulls. They come about 10 pounds lighter at birth also though. It’s very interesting.

[@bradmartin3112]

I have always breed heifers at 15 months old.

[@JangusGenetics]

That’s the way I like to do it.