NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
September 28, 2000
With increased prices for calves, adding pounds through creep feeding may be a profitable proposition, says a North Dakota State University beef expert.
"Creep feeding calves is a way of adding pounds, stretching pastures and preparing calves for entry into the feedlot," says Greg Lardy, a beef specialist with the NDSU Extension Service. "There is also some research that suggests creep feeding may improve the quality grade of resulting beef."
The added cost of creep feeding and potential management headaches mean producers should ponder the possibility carefully, Lardy says. "You have to weigh carefully what adding pounds to those calves costs against what those pounds will bring in the market. Use caution when creep feeding replacement heifers because some research suggests lower productivity in creep-fed heifers after they enter the cow herd."
Feed conversion plays a role in the economics, too. And feed conversion with creep feeds can be unpredictable or uneconomical, Lardy notes. "We don’t fully understand what drives efficiency in creep feeding. A big factor may be the type and stage of forage that’s available."
Lardy notes that calves’ top food preference is milk, followed by creep feed, with grass last on the list. "Creep feeds have to be palatable, and if good quality grass and milk are in adequate supply it may be tough to get them started on the creep feed."
Typically, creep feeding calves has little effect on cows. Milk demand and production are not affected. "In some cases where pasture is in short supply, creep feeding may reduce grazing competition somewhat for the cow," Lardy says.
Creep feeds can be used to deliver other agents such as nutritional supplements -- vitamins and minerals -- or medications like antibiotics. In the complete diet, the ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be about 1.2 to 1, Lardy advises. Oats, wheat midds and soy hulls as well as commercially formulated creep feeds are available and work well.
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Source: Greg Lardy (701) 231-7660
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629