ABSTRACT
Objective
This study examined the utility of postweaning morphological and physiological measures
as predictors of age of puberty and conception in beef heifers.
Materials and Methods
Data were used from 309 spring-born heifer progeny [initial age 231 d (SD = 16); BW
256 kg (SD = 52)] of beef and dairy dams sired by early-maturing (EM) or late-maturing
(LM) breeds and bred (12 wk) to calve at 24 mo of age within a grass-based production
system. Body weight, composition and linear measurements, blood metabolites, pubertal
age, and pregnancy were determined.
Results and Discussion
Mean ages at puberty and conception were 429 d (range = 275–496 d) and 458 d (range
= 398–534 d), respectively. Pubertal age was strongly correlated with age at first
AI (r = 0.68) and conception (r = 0.48). Body weight deposition from 8 to 13 mo of
age was negatively associated with age at puberty (r = −0.33), first AI (r = −0.17),
and conception (r = −0.12). Pubertal age was negatively associated with BW at 10 and
13 mo (r = −0.15 to −0.19), ultrasonic measures of fatness from 10 to 15 mo of age
(r = −0.15 to −0.30), IGF-1 concentrations from 8 to 13 mo (r = −0.22 to −0.31), and
insulin (r = −0.22 to −0.24) and leptin (r = −0.18 to −0.21) concentrations at 10
and 13 mo. Prediction equations developed using multiple regression explained 25%
of the variation in pubertal age for EM heifers [IGF-1 concentrations at 8 mo (15%),
leptin (4%) and glucose (3%) concentrations at 10 mo, and BW at 13 mo (3%)] and 30%
for LM heifers [IGF-1 (18%) and glucose (5%) concentrations at 8 mo and insulin concentrations
(4%) and lumbar fat thickness (3%) at 13 mo].
Implications and Applications
In relatively well-grown replacement beef heifers, BW was a weak predictor of pubertal
status. Physiological measures, particularly IGF-1 concentrations at 8 mo of age,
were superior.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 9,
2021
Received:
July 8,
2021
Footnotes
The authors have not declared any conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
