“Overfeeding protein during the
breeding season and early gestation, particularly if energy is limiting, may be associated with decreased pregnancy rates,” Johnson and Fun- ston write. This may be due to a lower uterine pH during the latter part of the estrous cycle in cattle receiving high levels of degradable protein. The negative effects of ex- cess rumen-degradable protein on reproduction are well documented in dairy literature. Patterson says the challenge with
2-year-old females is a longer period of time between calving and the resumption of the estrous cycles when compared to mature cows. If the body condition of the heifers slides following that fi rst calf, a diffi cult situation becomes worse. The interval can be stretched even longer, increasing the risk that the young cow will not resume her cy-
First-calf heifers are feeding their calf and still
trying to achieve their own full growth.
cle early enough to rebreed during the second breeding season.
Choices based on timing Heifers that conceived earliest
during their fi rst breeding season are likely to rebreed on time and remain in the herd. Heifers that conceived during the mid — or es- pecially, during the late — part of their fi rst breeding season will calve during the mid or late portion
of that fi rst calving period. This leaves those females at a higher risk of failing to rebreed in the next breeding season. Patterson says, “If you maintain
a restricted breeding and calving season, then choosing heifers to calve earliest is going to be a big plus in terms of the likelihood of those heifers rebreeding.”
Use EPDs to avoid rebreeding delays Another factor to keep in mind
is the value of using breeding ani- mals with strong expected progeny differences (EPDs) in key areas. Patterson says if ranchers are
doing a good job of managing the genetics of their herd for calving ease and watching birth weight, then they are doing a great deal to “ensure that those fi rst-calf heifers calve with relative ease and very
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Jill Ginn Territory Manager: Texas Granbury, TX 806/570-6185
jginn@neogen.com
Rick Pfortmiller Territory Manager: Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma Natoma, KS 785/230-9507
rpfortmiller@neogen.com NEOGEN AGRIGENOMICS
877/443-6489 • 402/435-0665
www.neogenagrigenomics.com
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tscra.org
March 2014 The Cattleman 63
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