Replacement heifer development: lessons from Nebraska

Would you like to learn more about the components of successful heifer development?

This February we will be joined by Rick Funston, Professor of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska , for a webinar to discuss heifer development.

The webinar will be suitable for farmers with suckler herds who breed or are interested in breeding their own replacement heifers.

Successful heifer development is underpinned by nutrition, genetics and effective selection. Nutrition has a significant impact on age at puberty and rebreeding rates.

Numerous research papers suggest that calving heifers for the first time at two years of age is an effective method of reducing cost of production and increasing cow lifetime reproductive performance. However, it is estimated that only 35% of English suckler producers carry out this practice.

 The webinar will cover:

• Key factors to successfully calve at two years of age
• Nutrition pre-calving
• Nutrition post-calving

 The webinar will last approximately 35 minutes, with time for questions at the end.

If you can’t make the webinar, please still register, as it will be recorded and sent to you afterwards to watch in your own time.

Rick Funston - biography

Dr. Funston is a professor and reproductive physiologist at the University of Nebraska. He divides his time between extension and research. His research on lighter heifer development is receiving national attention/adoption; research on fetal programming effects on postnatal calf performance including carcase characteristics and reproduction has received national and international recognition; and he is a team member of nationally recognised beef systems research. In the extension capacity, he provides subject matter expertise for educational programs in cow-calf production management for the West Central District and statewide expertise in beef reproductive management programs.