In this episode of Bovine Science, we examine a 2024 Journal of Animal Science study that used hundreds of thousands of cattle records to investigate the genetic and environmental influences on fertility in beef cattle. The study evaluated traits including calving date, calving interval, first-calf interval, early calving, and heifer pregnancy.
The discussion highlights that most fertility traits have very low heritability, meaning management decisions such as nutrition, body condition, breeding-season length, and bull fertility have a much greater influence on reproductive performance. Heifer pregnancy was the exception, showing moderate heritability and providing a potential opportunity for genetic selection. The study also found no evidence that selecting for greater weaning or yearling weight negatively affects fertility, with yearling weight actually showing a positive association with heifer pregnancy.
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