Managing Heifers for Early Calving Success

Strong Nutrition And Herd Health Ensure Reproductive Success

Developing productive replacement of heifers begins with strong herd management, good nutrition, and preventive care. Experts emphasize that a heifer calving late in her first breeding season risks lower lifetime productivity.
 

“Heifers that calve late start a vicious cycle,” explained Dr. Jordan Thomas of the University of Missouri. “They tend to breed late the next year and eventually fall out of the herd.”
 

Ideally, heifers should conceive by 15 months and calve by 24 months. Early calving heifers often produce one-and-a-half to two more calves over their lifetime. Balanced diets and proper body condition—specifically a score of 6 at calving—support reproductive success and stress resilience.
 

Vaccination is also key. “With replacement heifers, we really need to protect them from reproductive disease,” said Dr. David Shirbroun of Boehringer Ingelheim. Diseases like bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, and leptospirosis can cause infertility and embryonic loss.
 

Dr. Shirbroun recommends a five-way viral vaccine, such as EXPRESS FP, which includes the Singer strain proven to prevent persistently infected (PI) calves.
 

Parasite control is another crucial step. “Keeping parasites in check helps heifers fully utilize nutrition and reach reproductive milestones,” said Dr. Shirbroun. He advises using an extended release dewormer like LONGRANGE [eprinomectin] for long grazing periods to maintain gut health and efficiency.
 

Finally, herd development is a long-term process that begins before conception. Managing cow health, nutrition, and disease prevention ensures heifers reach full reproductive potential. “When done correctly,” noted Dr. Shirbroun, “heifer development is about three years—from conception to first calving.”