Breeding heifers are the future of a herd.  They need to be healthy and robust.  Over conditioning must be avoided. The average daily gain aim should be 700-800 grams and they must be fed with total mix rations predominantly consisting of forages.  The daily amounts of concentrate feed must be adjusted in a range of 1.5 to 4 kg according to the animal’s live weight and forage quality.

Sexual maturity occurs when heifers reach 45% of their adult live weight.  At 14-15 months of age the heifers reach 70% of their final adult weight and they can then be inseminated.  These heifers give birth to their first calves at about 24 months of age.

Correct feeding in these periods ensures:

• Healthy development of heifers.
• Healthy development of the fetus.
• Prepares pregnant cows for calving.
• Enables the recuperation of the mammary gland and prepares the cow for the next lactation.
• Prevents problems encountered during and following parturition such as milk fever, ketosis, infertility; improves dry matter intake and milk production in early lactation.