TexasBred
Well-known member
Do you have it tested at a reputable laboratory so you'll know what you're feeding and what you're selling folks??Lrj505":jk1ubqrd said:
Anyone Creep Feeding Calves?
- Thread starter Lucky
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TexasBred
Well-known member
I'll ask again. Do you have it tested at a local lab so you know what you're feeding or what you're selling folks?? It just about all looks good in a bale.Lrj505":13nq4kvi said:I grow it myself
Double R Ranch
Well-known member
Lucky said:
Did you decide to creep feed? If so how did it go?
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Hogtiming said:
What feed conversion do you get?
Lucky
Well-known member
Double R Ranch said:
I only ended up creep feeding one group of calves a couple tons. I don't think they gained much but do think it helped get them on feed and gaining quicker at weaning. I still have them and they look better than the group that wasn't on creep at all. I may try it again this year.
Double R Ranch
Well-known member
Interesting! Thank you for the update!
kenny thomas
Well-known member
If the cost of gain is less than the price they will bring it's a good idea. Unless you get them so fat that it changes the price
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Figure how many lbs of feed you would expect it to take to gain an extra lb of weight. I cant decide what is extra and what the cow would do alone. I hear figures of .90 and down. At that price it would pay unless they get so fat it changes the price drastically.
Lucky
Well-known member
If I was going to try and put some weight on the calves by creep feeding I'd want feed to be 10 cents a pound or less. That's probably not going to happen these days. I think at 10-14 cents a pound it's worth doing for 3-4 weeks before weaning to get their belly ready to start gaining on feed. I've only been weaning calves for 5-6 years now but have learned that anything done early helps them gain weight faster. Castrating and dehorning at weaning seems to set them back at least 30-45 days. That combined with ramping up the feed to let their rumen accept it and convert to pounds all cost you money. I'm going to try the creep again this year and keep up with it better now that I have a set of scales.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
If castrating and dehorning sets them back that much why not do it when they are born and add 1 implant and your back to the growth of a bull calf.Lucky said:
Lucky
Well-known member
I always do my best to castrate and dehorn at 30-90 days but it always seems there's a few stragglers born after we the spring working. It's mainly just a scheduling thing. I think I had 5 born this year after we worked the cows. So a few of them will get cut late. I've just about eliminated the horns so hopefully it won't be an issue anymore. I haven't ventured into implanting yet but have looked into it.
On another note just to make sure we are on the same page are we calling creep feeding the feed they get while still on the mommas before weaning? After weaning they are hand fed correct?
On another note just to make sure we are on the same page are we calling creep feeding the feed they get while still on the mommas before weaning? After weaning they are hand fed correct?
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Yes, on your definition of creep feeding.
JMJ - I would love to have seen that hog episode!!
Backtrack a little on the heifer getting fat in the udder. Fat in the udder is a "real" problem - but - just to clarify, it does not affect them AFTER they are bred. In my mind, no heifer should be fed enough to get fat in her udder, no matter what age.
I didn't read the article in the beginning of this thread, but NEFarmwife dug into the article and they said they creed fed from 7-15 to 11-1 - then weaned early December.
Question - would that be counter-productive?? Creep feed about 100 days, then quit 30+ days before weaning? Seems like that's backwards. You are getting their bugs established on a grain diet, then no grain, then back to a weaned grain diet?? Unless, they never went back to a grain diet.
JMJ - I would love to have seen that hog episode!!
Backtrack a little on the heifer getting fat in the udder. Fat in the udder is a "real" problem - but - just to clarify, it does not affect them AFTER they are bred. In my mind, no heifer should be fed enough to get fat in her udder, no matter what age.
I didn't read the article in the beginning of this thread, but NEFarmwife dug into the article and they said they creed fed from 7-15 to 11-1 - then weaned early December.
Question - would that be counter-productive?? Creep feed about 100 days, then quit 30+ days before weaning? Seems like that's backwards. You are getting their bugs established on a grain diet, then no grain, then back to a weaned grain diet?? Unless, they never went back to a grain diet.
Nuakerprel
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What is creep feeding?
We just picked up a jersay bottle calf yesterday.
We just picked up a jersay bottle calf yesterday.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Creep feeding is providing feed just for the calves while they are still nursing their dam.
Jeanne - Simme Valley said:
He's a banned troll Jeanne. He won't be bothering us anymore...
under that name at least.
Double R Ranch
Well-known member
Creep feeding our calves is paying off big time this year. This is our first year trying it. We are on very dry, shorter pasture at this point. Normally we're looking to wean soon due to condition of the older cows. The older cows are maintaining better and so far calves are reaching weights we sold at last year in November. Same cows and same sire as last year. Only change is the creep feeder. We're using a local milling that is a beef mix ration in the creep feeder. So far it's working well for us.
Double R Ranch said:
Congrats Double R, good reading you again, it's been a long time.
Double R Ranch
Well-known member
TennesseeTuxedo said:
Thanks! Hope this finds you and the family well!
Double R Ranch said:
Yes indeed, thank you.
