Fertility is economically important in beef cattle, but environmental and management effects can make genetic differences difficult to identify. This article explains how SA Stud Book estimates breeding values for Beefmaster heifer fertility, cow fertility and longevity. It discusses age at first calving, inter-calving periods and the importance of contemporary groups, appropriate adjustments and the inclusion of less fertile or non-calving females to avoid biased evaluations. It also explains how pedigree and genomic information can improve prediction accuracy. The resulting Fertility Value combines breeding values for heifer fertility, cow fertility and longevity to help breeders select animals for more consistent reproductive performance and productive herd life.
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