AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Nicky Oothuizen, Reproductive Specialist and District Sales Manager for ABS Global, and Dr. Lee Jones, Cattle Professional Services Veterinarian for Boehringer Ingelheim. Heifer retention and reproductive longevity are increasingly top-of-mind for beef producers; veterinarians play a central role in shaping development programs that set heifers up for long-term success. This episode will explore how early-life management decisions, disease prevention and parasite control influence reproductive timelines, calving distribution and lifetime herd performance.

Our guests discuss important factors to evaluate to ensure heifers are ready for the first breeding season. This can include an adequate body weight and body condition score, appropriate vaccination programs, managing parasites with a sustainable parasite management program, and ensuring heifers are cycling prior to the first breeding season. Delayed puberty and low reproductive tract scores can result in later breeding and first calving which will put heifers behind for future breeding seasons. It is not only important that retained heifers get pregnant, but that they conceive at the start of the breeding season to allow for growth during the first lactation cycle and success for the second breeding season.

Preventing reproductive diseases is an important part of a reproduction program. Veterinarians should discuss biosecurity, especially if purchasing pregnant heifers, and also review the vaccine program to determine where a modified live or a killed virus vaccine should be incorporated.

For more information about the Boehringer-Ingelheim portfolio of products, including vaccines and anthelmintics, visit www.cattlefirst.com