A heifer that calves late in her first breeding season is already behind – and likely to stay that way. “It starts a vicious cycle,” Jordan Thomas, Ph.D., University of Missouri, said. “Where she calves late, breeds late the next year, and eventually falls out of the herd.” Whether producers are raising or buying their replacement heifers, focusing on strong herd management, disease prevention, and parasite control is the foundation of a successful breeding herd and long-term profitability. Ideally, heifers should conceive their first calf at 15 months of age and calve by 24 months. Breeding early sets her and...

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