Post-weaning feeding strategies, part 1: the housed heifer

Nutritional management of the post-weaned period is significantly associated with future heifer performance, alongside farm environmental and economic sustainability. Most heifers are fully or intermittently housed before first calving, with feeding at housing representing the largest single cost associated with heifer rearing and proving significantly variable between farms because of intrinsic on-farm factors. Evidence suggests that facilitation of pre-weaned rumen development and appropriate feed presentation across feeding strategy maximise post-weaned dry matter intakes, with provision of dietary nutrients appropriate to heifer age encouraging deposition of lean growth over adipose tissue and prioritising structural heifer growth and feed efficiency. Control of heifer body condition is essential to reduce dystocia, post-partum disease and production impacts. Dilutional and restricted feeding approaches can be used at housing to minimise over conditioning, particularly in pregnant heifers fed a higher energy density diet. Efficient management of housed nutrition can optimise daily liveweight gains and ensure reproductive targets are met, increasing farm sustainability and profitability.