The objective ofthe study was to evaluate, for two consecutive years, the weaning age effecton the reproductive performance of 121 Bradford heifers mated at 13/15 monthsold. Two weaning ages were assessed: at 77 days, early weaning (EW) or at 147days, conventional weaning (CW). The heifers were born in 2004 (66) and 2005(55). After weaning, heifers were kept initially on cultivated summer pasture(Pennisetum americanum, L.) and afterward on cultivated winter/springpasture (Avena strigosa Schreb plus Lolium multiflorum Lam.).Live weight (LW), body condition (BC) and mean live weight gain (ADG) were evaluatedduring the mating period. Early weaning did not cause significant differencein weight at the beginning and end of the mating period. The heifers born in2005 showed lower live weight during the mating than those born in 2004. Theyear influenced the body condition at the beginning and end of the mating thatwas, respectively, 4.16 and 4.29 points for heifers born in 2004, and 3.57 and3.38 points for the ones born in 2005. Pregnancy rate was not affected by theheifer weaning age (55.5 and 70.7% for EW and CW heifers, respectively), norby year (68.6 and 57.6% for heifers born in 2004 and 2005, respectively). Heifersthat became pregnant had greater reproductive performance during the growingphase and mating period than those with negative diagnosis. The reproductiveperformance of the heifers was positively correlated with live weight and bodycondition at the beginning and end of the mating period. Early weaning did notaffect the heifer reproductive performance at 13/15 months old.
