Scheme helps heifer rearer capture £10,220 cost benefit 3 March 2021 | As well as the financial incentive, the farm had other reasons to reduce heifer calving age A Welsh dairy farm has achieved a cost benefit of £10,220 in its heifer rearing programme over a two-year period after improving youngstock management. The Evans family run an all-year-round calving herd of 168 Holstein Friesian cows at Halton Farm, located in Wrexham County Borough. They had been struggling with the average age of first calving in their heifers: in 2018 it was 35 months. Research has shown that for each day a first calving extends beyond 24 months an additional rearing cost of £2.87/heifer is incurred.