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Culling heifers: when, why and the impact on herd economics

PanTerrea Limited

December 26, 2025

Heifer culling is the process of removing animals from a herd or breeding process. The reasons are usually that they are unsuitable for production or have certain deficiencies or health problems. And this is a situation that farmers all over the world face.

There are many factors that influence the situation, including environmental influences and even management practices. Knowing, understanding, and taking this into account makes it possible to develop more effective strategies that will improve heifer performance and increase overall farm efficiency.

You can learn more about this from colleagues who share their experience and knowledge on the PanTerrea platform, where you can register and become part of the farming community. And if you are interested in specific recommendations for cow health, read the article on strategies for preventing mastitis during dry season on our website.

When and how to calculate the culling rate of heifers

When animals do not reach the required live weight and size, including height, at a certain age, they are removed from the breeding process. This is how the culling process begins. To determine its level, you need to measure all monthly losses, from birth to calving. The resulting number must be divided by the number of livestock counted for the month, including those heifers that were lost and those that are calving. This method allows you to assess the overall situation.

A heifer breeding program is considered successful if it expects to have up to 90% live births in the dairy herd. And where the number of animals born alive exceeds 90%, the herd is considered to be successful. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the number of stillborn calves, because each of them is another lost opportunity in the herd.

It should be noted that in a herd with a high stillbirth rate, many heifers have to be replaced. It also shows that the risk of calving complications is very high, and therefore there may be many calves born with injuries.

In different countries, the average stillbirth rate is 6-8%, but farms should aim for 1%. Although it is extremely difficult to achieve, it helps to shift the focus to animal welfare. And it is worth noting that herds that manage to reach this level do exist, so it is still realistic if you make the effort.

What does culling look like?

This process is of two types: biological and economic. Biological culling should not exceed 5%, and is used to remove those animals that have physical defects that make them unfit for lactation and have problems with insemination.

It is noted that herds with low mortality rates also have low biological culling rates. The reason is that in these herds the animals are healthier and less sick, and their reproductive function is usually fine. And those heifers that grow quickly and do not cause any problems during the growing process have time to reach sexual maturity a few months before insemination, which gives them a better chance of successful insemination.

When it comes to economic culling, it is a planned process that avoids accidental genetic failures. This method is used to remove from the herd not only those individuals with poor genetic characteristics, but also those with low productivity, behavioral problems, and gynecological disorders or diseases.

Thanks to economic culling, we have achieved significant results. In particular, the following:

the genetics of the herd improves as less productive heifers are replaced with better ones, which leads to an increase in milk yield and overall milk quality in the herd;
problem animals are removed (in terms of health), so the risk of developing diseases in the livestock is reduced;
resources are freed up that can be directed to more productive heifers;
there is no longer a need to keep unprofitable animals, which reduces the overall cost of the herd, and its productivity increases.

Culling requires constant monitoring of the health, productivity and development of young animals, and when they reach the right age, their performance must be evaluated according to certain criteria. Based on the results, a decision is made on the future of each heifer - either to keep her in the breeding herd or to cull her. Thanks to this control, the herd can be constantly improved.

What to look for to maintain a sufficient number of dairy heifers

In order to avoid fluctuations in herd productivity and other problems in the first lactation, you should take care of several things. Namely:

Ensuring proper feeding. The growth and development of dairy heifers depends on how balanced their diet is in accordance with their age characteristics. It is important to avoid imbalances in the amount of the most important nutrients, otherwise problems will arise. The success or failure of maintaining a high level of herd productivity largely depends on the correct feeding, in particular on the feeding rates for young animals, the weaning process and the transition to feed with a higher level of forage.
Health monitoring. Vaccination protocols and other health management programs should be used to avoid diseases in the herd that will lead to problems with heifer development. In particular, strategies for the prevention of various diseases should be provided.
Organization of comfortable living conditions. Heifers should be kept in conditions that make them feel comfortable and cozy. The higher the level of their welfare, the better, because the animals will not experience stress, so their development will not stop and problems will not arise.
Control of genetics. Genetic selection should pay attention to the desirable traits of animals and use breeding programs. This will help to improve the genetic potential of animals and increase their chances of becoming part of the dairy herd.
Effective management. Optimizing heifer growth is something that can be influenced by choosing effective management methods. These include strategic deworming and health monitoring. For proper and effective management, it is important to regularly train staff, use best modern practices for growing heifers and monitor performance indicators.

To effectively manage heifers, it is better to give preference to a holistic approach that allows you to solve any problems and increases the chances of animals joining the dairy herd. In this case, the dairy farm will operate stably and successfully.

At a superficial level, culling heifers seems like a loss for the herd, as some animals have to be sent for slaughter or sold, but in reality it is an investment that will pay off over time. This will be reflected in increased sustainability, efficiency and profitability of dairy production.

How the PanTerrea platform will be useful for you

If you are looking for the best solutions for yourself and your production, PanTerrea will help you find them. This is a platform that brings together people who are engaged in a common cause and helps to find answers to various questions related to farming, animal care, and more.

Using the platform's capabilities, you get valuable information quickly and on time. And when you have any problems or difficult situations, there is always someone who will support you and give you valuable advice, because PanTerrea is a large farming family where no one feels alone, where difficulties are overcome by joint efforts. To become a part of it, register on the website and get access to all the features of the platform.

Conclusion.

Culling heifers is an effective tool that helps to optimize animal husbandry costs, reduce the risk of disease occurrence and spread among them, improve genetics and increase herd productivity. In addition, it allows you to form and maintain the desired herd structure. And to be as effective as possible, culling should be regular. It is a convenient tool that allows you to improve the genetic potential of the herd and optimize resources. Timely culling contributes to the success of a dairy farm.