Benchmark to Reach Precocious Puberty in Replacement Heifers: A Review

Abstract

To achieve precocious puberty in heifers, female calf should be selected with their birth earlier in calving season i.e., heifers born in the first 21 days of calving season. Essential points for successful heifer raising include colostrum feeding to produce best start in the life, monitoring growth rate regularly, accommodation in spacious ventilated barn, body capacity and frame improved by quality forage supplementation. Proper disease control along with maintenance of health and welfare as well as use of sire selected for calving ease. Monitoring of nutrition and pre-weaning growth to achieve early weaning. Standardized target weight is essential to achiev optimum pregnancy at early age. Ionophores and hormones may be used, for achieving precocious puberty provided stair step gain in body weight along with vaccination and de-worming. Feeds with high phytoestrogen may be avoided. Scoring for Body condition, frame and reproductive tract is essential steps at interval for all heifers. Estrus synchronization together with on time estrus detection may be utilized to achieve better conception and pregnancy after early puberty.