Heifer breeding age

[gmoo]

At what age are most breeding first time heifers?

 

[beebe]

I breed to calve at two years of age.

 

[ROMAX]

I breed to calve at two years of age.

DITTO

 

[jchandler16]

Ive heard heifers reach sexual maturity around 1000lbs and also heard around 1 year of age. Obviously it varies a lot by breed and other conditions and I think those where made as a blanket statement. I have always aimed to hit both conditions which usually puts me at 14 months old at time of breeding. Which would be very close to the calving at 2 years old

 

[Chuck Wagon]

Depends on rancher you talk to.  At 15 months, the heifer should be mature enough to breed.

Some ranchers / cattle people wait till they are 2 years old before breeding.

 

[GoWyo]

My goal on the purebred Angus females is to calve in March at 23-24 months of age.  That means they need to be bred at 14-15 months of age.  If they are later than 24 months when they have their first calf, they seldom catch up with the mature cow herd calving from mid-March to mid-April and it is a sign of fertility issues for which they need to find a job at another place or go to the feedlot.  The crossbred heifers need to do the same thing and they get bred Angus for their first calf and often their second calf as well.  If they breed up on time and can raise a decent calf, then they get a shot at raising a show steer with AI.  If they can't, then they go down the road too.