MANAGEMENT OF HEIFER GROWTH IN DUAL-PURPOSE CATTLE

The objectives of this study were to systematically evaluate the limitations of traditional management and the potentials of alternative practices in raising dual-purpose (DP) replacement heifers owned by farmers in the low Huasteca region, specifically in Tepetzintla, Veracruz, Mexico. The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) model version 6.1 was the primary tool applied to specific management groups of heifers in a structured set of simulations. Sixty-nine simulations were conducted to evaluate the primary constraints (bottlenecks), and fifty-five additional simulations were utilized to evaluate probable outcomes from alternative management. Typical heifer management was determined from reports and observations of members of the Grupo Ganadero de Validación y Transferencia de Tecnología Tepetzintla (GGAVATT-Tepetzintla; a non-governmental farmer organization dedicated to cattle production), guided by inputs from a panel of Mexican professionals working in this region and by Animal Science professionals at Cornell University