CopRice Heifer Rearer Pellets are a medium density, highly versatile rearing supplement for feeding with roughage and/or pasture to dairy heifer replacements from 12 weeks of age until the transition phase. It is formulated with the optimum balance of protein and energy sources, with added buffers to avoid digestive upsets. High in rumen bypass protein, CopRice Heifer Rearer Pellets provides an increased level of true protein for growth and development, with calcium and phosphorus to promote strong and healthy bone development.

CopRice Heifer Rearer Pellets are fortified with premixed vitamins, minerals and trace elements as well as a licensed and approved performance enhancer to improve growth rate and food conversion. This enables target service weight to be achieved sooner, therefore lowering the age of first service and subsequent calving. CopRice Heifer Rearer Pellets also includes added essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements such as copper, cobalt, selenium, manganese, iodine and zinc, with vitamins A, D3 and E.

Successful calf rearing programs should be followed by an advanced program for rearing heifers from weaning to first calving. Heifers that enter the herd at higher weights produce more litres and solids than those that are underweight and poorly conditioned at herd entry. Proper feeding strategies will result in heifers reaching target weights for age at weaning, joining and first calving.

Successful feed management

After weaning, the first 12 months in a cow’s life are crucial for skeletal and muscle development. Graziers and dairy farmers should follow these simple guidelines when it comes to feeding and managing heifers. If the guidelines are followed and targets are achieved, milk production in the first lactation should be around 83% of production expected from mature cows.

• Additional supplementary feeding will be necessary to maintain target gains during periods of low pasture growth.
• Quality roughage such as hay or silage will improve rumen function and assist in reaching dry matter intake requirements.
• Depending on pasture quality and availability, consider supplementing with concentrates, as well as hay or silage at 1.5 to 2.5 kg/head/day to meet target growth rates.
• Heifers should be weighed and measured regularly to assess weight gains and frame size. Body condition should be monitored at the same time and feeding adjusted to avoid excess fat deposition while maintaining growth targets.
• Clean, fresh water should always be available.
• Reproductive performance can be substantially reduced if feeding is restricted during mating.
• Friesian heifers should be fed and managed to grow at an average of 0.7 kg/day from weaning to first calving; smaller breeds, such as Jerseys, at 0.5 kg/day.