Growth and reproductive performance of 14- to 15-month-old Hereford heifers

ABSTRACT Aiming at breeding heifers with 14-15 months of age, 100 Hereford calves were subjected to different feeding systems. Heifers grazed on a natural pasture in early winter, fed or not a supplement (14% crude protein; 72% total digestible nutrients), were transferred to a ryegrass pasture for 73 days, and then returned to a natural pasture for 15 days until the beginning of the breeding season. During the last 15 days on ryegrass pasture and the 15 days of the return to the natural pasture, half of the heifers of the two previous systems were offered the supplement, thereby establishing ...