Optimizing Grazing Systems for Promoting Early Puberty in Dairy Heifers: An Integrated Nutritional Perspective

Notice

This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 04 | 01 | Page :
    By

    Md. Emran Hossain,

  • Minara Begum Munni,

  1. Professor, Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chattogram-4225, , Bangladesh
  2. Student, Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chattogram-4225, , Bangladesh

Abstract

The onset of puberty in dairy heifers is a critical milestone in ensuring optimal reproductive performance and overall herd productivity. Grazing systems, when strategically managed, may play a significant role in accelerating puberty through their influence on nutritional intake and heifer management practices. This review explores the impact of different grazing systems on the nutritional status of dairy heifers, emphasizing the balance between nutrient supply and demand during critical growth phases. The role of forage quality, pasture availability, and grazing management in supporting growth rates conducive to early puberty is examined. Furthermore, the interaction between grazing systems and supplemental feeding strategies is discussed to highlight how management interventions can enhance growth performance and reproductive readiness. By integrating insights from recent research on energy and protein requirements, rumen development, and metabolic signaling, this review aims to offer practical recommendations for optimizing grazing systems. The findings suggest that well-managed grazing systems, combined with targeted nutritional interventions, can effectively contribute to the timely onset of puberty in dairy heifers, supporting long-term herd health, fertility, and productivity.

Keywords: Forage, grazing, heifer, management, nutrition

How to cite this article:
Md. Emran Hossain, Minara Begum Munni. Optimizing Grazing Systems for Promoting Early Puberty in Dairy Heifers: An Integrated Nutritional Perspective. International Journal of Biochemistry and Biomolecule Research. 2026; 04(01):-.
How to cite this URL:
Md. Emran Hossain, Minara Begum Munni. Optimizing Grazing Systems for Promoting Early Puberty in Dairy Heifers: An Integrated Nutritional Perspective. International Journal of Biochemistry and Biomolecule Research. 2026; 04(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijbbr/article=2026/view=235722


References

[1]      F. Fantuz, A. Fatica, E. Salimei, F. Marcantoni, and L. Todini, “Nutrition, Growth, and Age at Puberty in Heifers,” Animals, vol. 14, no. 19, p. 2801, 2024, doi: 10.3390/ani14192801.

[2]      S. T. Butler, “Nutritional management to optimize fertility of dairy cows in pasture-based systems,” Animal, vol. 8, no. s1, pp. 15–26, 2014.

[3]      A. H. Duittoz and D. A. Kenny, “Review: Early and late determinants of puberty in ruminants and the role of nutrition,” Animal, vol. 17, p. 100812, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100812.

[4]      N. M. Steele et al., “Animal- and herd-level factors associated with onset of puberty in grazing dairy heifers,” N. Z. Vet. J., vol. 71, no. 5, pp. 213–225, 2023, doi: 10.1080/00480169.2023.2224763.

[5]      M. S. Allen, “Relationship between forage quality and dairy cattle production,” Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., vol. 59, no. 1–3, pp. 51–60, 1996.

[6]      J. M. N. Bwire and H. Wiktorsson, “Pre-weaning nutritional management and dry season nutritional supplementation on intake, growth and onset of puberty of improved Zebu heifers,” Livest. Prod. Sci., vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 229–238, 1996.

[7]      D. R. Woodfield and D. A. Clark, “Do forage legumes have a role in modern dairy farming systems?,” Irish J. Agric. Food Res., vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 137–147, 2009.

[8]      J. R. T. Martens and M. H. Entz, “Integrating green manure and grazing systems: A review,” Can. J. Plant Sci., vol. 91, no. 5, pp. 811–824, 2011, doi: 10.4141/cjps10177.

[9]      S. K. Gupta, P. Singh, K. P. Shinde, S. A. Lone, N. Kumar, and A. Kumar, “Strategies for attaining early puberty in cattle and buffalo: A review,” Agric. Rev., vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 160–167, 2016.

[10]    M. Getabalew and T. Alemneh, “Factors affecting the productivity of rangelands,” J. Plant Sci. Agric. Res., vol. 3, no. 1, p. 19, 2019.

[11]    P. K. Patel, S. N. Shukla, and G. Singh, “Incidence of Delayed Puberty in Cattle Heifers in and around Jabalpur,” Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. Appl. Sci., vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 1289–1292, 2020, doi: 10.20546/ijcmas.2020.906.160.

[12]    W. Badgery et al., “Better management of intensive rotational grazing systems maintains pastures and improves animal performance,” Crop Pasture Sci., vol. 68, no. 12, pp. 1131–1140, 2017.

[13]    D. E. Beever, H. R. Losada, S. B. Cammell, R. T. Evans, and M. J. Haines, “Effect of forage species and season on nutrient digestion and supply in grazing cattle,” Br. J. Nutr., vol. 56, no. 1, pp. 209–225, 1986.

[14]    D. J. Patterson, R. C. Perry, G. H. Kiracofe, R. A. Bellows, R. B. Staigmiller, and L. R. Corah, “Management considerations in heifer development and puberty,” J. Anim. Sci., vol. 70, no. 12, pp. 4018–4035, 1992.

[15]    S. Panda, K. K. Panigrahy, S. Barik, and K. Behera, “Grazing and Pasture Management In Small Ruminants,” Indian Farmer, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 319–329, 2016.

[16]    I. M.T. Fadlalla, “The Interactions of Some Minerals Elements in Health and Reproductive Performance of Dairy Cows,” 2022, intechopen.com. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.101626.

[17]    V. H. Severino-Lendechy, F. Montiel-Palacios, and P. Pérez-Hernández, “Age and weight at puberty in tropical dairy criollo heifers with and without supplementary feeding,” Ecosistemas y Recur. Agropecu., vol. 4, no. 12, pp. 555–561, 2017.

[18]    S. Quintero-Anzueta et al., “Nutritional Evaluation of Tropical Forage Grass Alone and Grass-Legume Diets to Reduce in vitro Methane Production,” Front. Sustain. Food Syst., vol. 5, p. 663003, 2021, doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.663003.

[19]    K. Tekin, B. Yurdakök Dikmen, H. Kanca, and R. Guatteo, “Precision livestock farming technologies: Novel direction of information flow,” Ankara Univ. Vet. Fak. Derg., vol. 68, no. 2, pp. 193–212, 2021.

[20]    M. Michels, V. Bonke, and O. Musshoff, “Understanding the adoption of smartphone apps in dairy herd management,” J. Dairy Sci., vol. 102, no. 10, pp. 9422–9434, 2019.

[21]    M. Wachendorf, Advances in remote sensing for monitoring grassland and forage production, 1st ed. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Cambridge, UK, 2018. doi: 10.19103/as.2017.0024.11.

[22]    A. K. Singh, C. Bhakat, M. K. Ghosh, and T. K. Dutta, “Technologies used at advanced dairy farms for optimizing the performance of dairy animals: A review,” Spanish J. Agric. Res., vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 1–19, 2021, doi: 10.5424/sjar/2021194-17801.

[23]    M. A. Rahman, N. S. Juyena, M. Shamsuddin, and M. M. U. Bhuiyan, “Genomic tools and genetic improvement of crossbred Friesian cattle,” Res. Agric. Livest. Fish., vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 89–107, 2021.

[24]    S. O. Sennuga, S. A. Ujoyi, J. Bamidele, S. S. Onjewu, W. I. Lai-Solarin, and A. A. Omole, “Exploring the role of smart-phone apps for livestock farmers data management extension and informed decisionmaking in Nigeria,” Int J Probiotics Diet., vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 46–53, 2023.

[25]    M. Lamanna, M. Bovo, and D. Cavallini, “Wearable Collar Technologies for Dairy Cows: A Systematized Review of the Current Applications and Future Innovations in Precision Livestock Farming,” Anim. an Open Access J. from MDPI, vol. 15, no. 3, p. 458, 2025.

[26]    S. Higgins, J. Schellberg, and J. S. Bailey, “Improving productivity and increasing the efficiency of soil nutrient management on grassland farms in the UK and Ireland using precision agriculture technology,” Eur. J. Agron., vol. 106, pp. 67–74, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.eja.2019.04.001.

[27]    O. Palma, L. M. Plà-Aragonés, A. Mac Cawley, and V. M. Albornoz, “AI and Data Analytics in the Dairy Farms: A Scoping Review,” Animals, vol. 15, no. 9, p. 1291, 2025.

[28]    S. Krishnan and L. P. Ganesan, “Integrated Dairy Production and Cattle Healthcare Management Using Blockchain NFTs and Smart Contracts,” Systems, vol. 13, no. 1, p. 65, 2025.

[29]    A. Nguyen, M. Francis, E. Windfeld, G. Lhermie, and K. Kim, “Developing an immersive virtual farm simulation for engaging and effective public education about the dairy industry,” Comput. Graph., vol. 118, no. October 2023, pp. 173–183, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.cag.2023.12.011.

[30]    A. Bayskar, “Hydroponics: A Promising Alternative Technology for Fodder Production,” pubished Pap., vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 432–448, 2025.

[31]    M. Baldin et al., “Integrated decision support systems (Idss) for dairy farming: A discussion on how to improve their sustained adoption,” Animals, vol. 11, no. 7, p. 2025, 2021, doi: 10.3390/ani11072025.

 

 


Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 04
01
Received 05/06/2025
Accepted 22/09/2025
Published 08/01/2026
Publication Time 217 Days


Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics