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Background

The Heifer Rearing System

The Dairy Heifer 2000 project at Greenmount Campus is managed in partnership with J. Bibby Agriculture. The project aims to demonstrate heifer rearing skills using the heifers born within the Campus dairy herds. The project commenced in September 1997 and is expected to run for five years.

Project aims

To demonstrate a cost effective rearing system for high production dairy heifer replacements by managing heifers to achieve the following targets:
  • Manage the heifers to calve down at two years of age
  • Achieve a pre calving weight of 600 KG by following specific weight targets throughout the rearing period
Demonstrate the management skills involved on commercial farms in Northern Ireland
Cows grazing.