@article {10.3844/ajassp.2005.542.544,
article_type = {journal},
title = {Replacement Heifer Selection in A Beef Cattle Herd},
author = {Pala, Akin and McCraw, Roger},
volume = {2},
year = {2005},
month = {Feb},
pages = {542-544},
doi = {10.3844/ajassp.2005.542.544},
url = {https://thescipub.com/abstract/ajassp.2005.542.544},
abstract = {The relationship between a heifer's weaning weight and her fertility and weaning weight of
her calves was studied. Also investigated was the effect of dam amount of fat (DAF=dam weaning
weight/weaning height) on heifers' ability to breed and rebreed. This is similar to Body Mass Index
(BMI) calculated for humans. The relationship of dam's average daily gain from birth to weaning and
from weaning to finishing and DAF to calf weaning weight was studied also. These determine which
heifers should be kept as replacements. Data were collected from 816 heifers. Heavier animals had
higher conception rates. Average daily gain of the dam from birth to weaning and DAF had adverse
effects on calf weaning weight. This suggests that over-conditioned heifers are likely to have lighter
calves. In addition, the cubic model of dam weaning weight showed that after a weight of 272 kg, calf
weaning weights no longer increased with increasing dam weaning weights.},
journal = {American Journal of Applied Sciences},
publisher = {Science Publications}
}