Nutrition of weaner beef heifers; growth, puberty and yearling mating on hill country

D.C. Smeaton and G.W. Winn

Whatawhata Hill Country Research Centre, Hamilton and Ruakura Animal Research Station, Hamilton

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1981, 41: 267-272

Three trials were carried out in 1978, 1979 and 1980 in which weaner beef heifers of two breeds were offered two pasture allowances over the autumn-winter period to generate different mean liveweights at yearling mating. Pasture offered during the autumn-winter period ranged from 2 to 8 kg DM/100 kg liveweight. All groups were offered 6 kg DM/100 kg liveweight during the spring and mating periods.

Liveweight gain was closely related to pasture allowance and average liveweights of 235 to 285 kg at the start of yearling mating resulted. Over the range 250 to 285 kg there was little effect on in-calf rate.

The attainment of puberty was more dependent on liveweight than age so that poorly-fed heifers reached puberty later than well-fed ones. The Hereford x Friesian heifers grew faster than their Angus contemporaries.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;

Last Updated 12-09-1998