Our objectives were to evaluate growth, feed intake characteristics, metabolic hormones, and puberty in heifers from a Chihuahuan Desert Brangus breeding program. Heifers were of similar age and progeny of sires (n > 7 heifers per sire) with expected progeny difference [EPD (accuracy)] for yearling BW (kg) and scrotal circumference (cm) of 27.6 (0.54) and 0.1 (0.42) for a large growth-moderate scrotal circumference sire (LG-MSC), 16.4 (0.59) and 0.9 (0.47) for a moderate growth-large scrotal circumference sire (MG-LSC), and 17.8 (0.54) and 0.4 (0.37) for a sire with balanced EPD values (balanced). Heifers were trained to a Calan gate system (American Calan, Inc., Northwood, NH) for feed intake evaluation and were fed a diet of 11.6% CP and 79.4% TDN from 12.5 to 15.5 mo of age. Heifers from the balanced and LG-MSC sires had greater (P < 0.05) adjusted 205-d and 365-d BW than did heifers from the MG-LSC sire. Heifers from the balanced sire achieved puberty 1.6 mo earlier and at lesser (P < 0.05) BW than heifers from the MG-LSC or LG-MSC sires and consumed less (P < 0.05) feed. Residual feed intake was less (P < 0.05) in balanced and LG-MSC heifers than in MG-LSC heifers (−0.59 = −0.38 < 0.70 ± 0.3 kg/ d). Serum concentrations of insulin were less (P < 0.05) in heifers from a sire with balanced EPD relative to heifers from the MG-LSC sire (2.8 < 5.1 ± 0.7 ng/mL). This hormone concentration was also associated (r ≥ 0.45; P < 0.05) with age at puberty and concentrations of other metabolic hormones, particularly leptin. Results suggest that heifer progeny from a sire with balanced EPD for growth and scrotal circumference from a Chihuahuan Desert Brangus breeding program appear to have serum concentrations of insulin and feed intake characteristics more favorable for earlier puberty than heifers from a LG-MSC or MG-LSC sire.