Favor Older, Earlier-calving Bred Heifers at Auction This Fall

These are interesting times in the beef industry, says University of Missouri Extension state beef nutritionist Eric Bailey.

Cattle prices are higher than ever, yet there is scant evidence of herd expansion in the macroeconomic data. However, enormous asking prices exist for bred heifers marketed online, Bailey says.

Before you head to the sale barn, Bailey suggests a review of data that shows that early-calving bred heifers pay off many times over.

Older, earlier-calving heifers have an advantage over the long run

A 2013 Journal of Animal Science article, Heifer Calving Date Positively Influences Calf Weaning Weights Through Six Parturitions (doi: 10.2527/jas.2013-6465), is “truly impactful science” that supports the argument that older, early-calving heifers offer an advantage in the long run, says Bailey.