Youngstock Health & Growth Monitoring Category Guide

Why Monitor Youngstock?

Heifer development directly affects future productivity. Research shows that early growth rates influence first-lactation production and lifetime performance. Monitoring allows early identification of problems, verification that nutrition programs are working, and tracking against industry benchmarks.

Key Measurements

Body Weight

Direct measurement using scales or estimated using weight tapes. Track at consistent intervals—birth, weaning, breeding, pre-calving. Compare against breed-specific growth curves.

Hip Height

Measures skeletal growth independent of body condition. More consistent than weight alone. Industry standards define target heights at various ages.

Body Condition Score

Visual and tactile assessment of fat cover. Heifers should be appropriately conditioned—not too thin or too fat—at breeding and calving.

Growth Benchmarks

Holstein Targets

• Birth: 85-95 lbs
• Weaning (8 weeks): 170-200 lbs, double birth weight
• Breeding (13-15 months): 800-900 lbs, 50" hip height
• Pre-calving (22-24 months): 1,300-1,400 lbs

Jersey Targets

Proportionally smaller—approximately 80% of Holstein targets at comparable ages.

Health Monitoring

• Respiratory disease: Leading cause of calf mortality; watch for coughing, nasal discharge, fever
• Scours: Calf diarrhea from infectious or nutritional causes; monitor fecal consistency
• Navel infections: Swelling, heat, or discharge at navel; check all newborns
• General thrift: Appetite, activity, coat condition indicate overall health

Monitoring Tools

Scales

Walk-over scales, platform scales, or portable units. Most accurate weight measurement.

Weight Tapes

Girth measurement converted to estimated weight. Less accurate than scales but practical for frequent measurements.

Hip Stick

Measures height at hip. Simple, accurate measurement of skeletal growth.

Digital Records

Herd management software to track measurements over time, compare to benchmarks, and identify outliers.

Cost Considerations

Walk-over scales cost $2,000-5,000+. Weight tapes are $10-20. Hip sticks are $50-100. Software may be included in herd management systems. The value comes from catching problems early and verifying program effectiveness.