Bulling Heifers - The optmium weight or age?

[ABowden]

I have a heifer that is coming up to the time to get her in calf. I was wondering what age or weight others generally put their heifers in calf at, and whether or not shorts or non-shorts should go to bull at a different age or weight.

A J Bowden



Edited By ABowden on 1198138812

[Martin]

I normally put heifers to the bull at 15 months, weight is a problem if used as a guide because of the varying expected mature weights of individual animals. As long as they are well grown and in good condition you should not have any problems. You have to remember that a heifer of that age will still be growing and may need suplimentary feeding to allow her and her calf to reach their full potential. I find that heifers left until 2 years before being put to the bull can be rather fat and more difficult to get into calf, and may experience more difficulties at calving because of this.

Martin. Medway Valley Dexters.

[AlisonKirk]

Just as a guide:

Boram non-short heifers go to the bull at 15/16 months & the short-legs at 24 months. The heifers usually hold first time to the bull and we have not found a need to give them supplementary feeding. We do currently have a heifer which is consistently returning for some reason, she has had plenty of opportunity to get in calf, so that's one for our beef system and very tasty she will be too.

Dexter breeders all have their own management systems, which work well, but this system has worked well for us for many years.



Alison Kirk
Boram Dexters

[Inger]

It really depends on how good your grass is and how well grown the heifer is. Most of our heifers are non-carriers. Our grazing isn't as good as I would imagine yours to be, as our land is quite steep in comparison to the average farm in England, so our heifers go to the bull at just over two years of age. This fits in with the herd mating season which gives us Spring calving along with the rest of the herd. I prefer all the herd to calve at once and have the calving condensed to within 2 months (or less) of the rest of the herd. So that I can reduce the time I need to go out on 'night patrol' to check the maternity paddock.

I have had one heifer which I held back an extra year as she had a bad start in life and wasn't as well grown as the other heifers her age. She looks much better this year and should grow a calf well.

Since our land is more difficult for the animals to maintain their condition on over Winter (they are grazed outdoors all year round) they need to have grown quite well before taking on the burdon of growing a calf. I don't have the problem of over weight heifers, as we keep sheep with them as well.

So you need to go on how the heifers look, more than a specific age. 15 to 16 months is the earliest you should contemplate putting them to the bull though.