Signpost: Back to basics with your replacement heifers

Now is the time to act if you have underweight heifers in your herd, writes Ronan Mulligan, Dairy Advisor, Teagasc Claremorris, who outlines ways to address underperformance at farm level.

Lower survival rates to third lactation and reduced milk yields in subsequent lactations are just some of the consequences of failing to achieve the target weight for age when rearing replacement heifers. Picture: Teagasc

Weighing your dairy replacement heifers is a key component of successful heifer rearing. 

On many dairy farms, replacement heifers fail to reach target weights. The time between birth to first calving makes it very difficult for farmers to recognise the impact that their replacement strategies have on farm production and performance.