Studies in numerous species provide
evidence that diet during development can mediate
physiological changes necessary for puberty. In cattle,
several studies have reported inverse correlations between
postweaning growth rate and age at puberty and
heifer pregnancy rates. Thus, postweaning growth rate
was determined to be an important factor affecting age
of puberty, which in turn influences pregnancy rates.
This and other research conducted during the late
1960s through the early 1980s indicated puberty occurs
at a genetically predetermined size, and only when
heifers reach their target BW can increased pregnancy
rates be obtained. Guidelines were established indicating
replacement heifers should achieve 60 to 65% of
their expected mature BW by breeding. Traditional approaches
for postweaning development of replacement
heifers used during the last several decades have primarily
focused on feeding heifers to achieve or exceed
an appropriate target BW and thereby maximize heifer
pregnancy rates. Intensive heifer development systems
may maximize pregnancy rates, but not necessarily optimize
profit or sustainability. Since inception of target
BW guidelines, subsequent research demonstrated that
the growth pattern heifers experience before achieving
a critical target BW could be varied. Altering rate and
timing of BW gain can result in compensatory growth
periods, providing an opportunity to decrease feed
costs. Recent research has demonstrated that feeding
replacement heifers to traditional target BW increased
development costs without improving reproduction or
subsequent calf production relative to development systems
in which heifers were developed to lighter target
BW ranging from 50 to 57% of mature BW.