Management of Spayed Heifers

Abstract

The practice of spaying (ovariectomizing) heifers that are destined for market has been used by cattle producers in the United States for more than 100 years. The primary reason for spaying has been to prevent pregnancy during the two- or three-year growing phase of heifer development under range conditions. Another reason for spaying is related to the controlling infectious disease in cattle by preventing market heifers from becoming breeding stock when sold. Despite many changes in the beef cattle industry, these reasons remain valid today and provide a continuous source of spayed heifers that increases and decreases with the cattle cycle because of price differentials between market heifers and steers.

The interest in spaying heifers has led to several trials (measuring gain, feed efficiency, carcass characteristics, and other performance parameters) designed to compare spayed heifers with their intact (nonspayed) counterparts. This column provides an overview of important findings that can be useful in making management decisions regarding growing and finishing spayed heifers.