mtnman":2yszr31y said:
If tehy are registered stock, supposedly bred to make money for commercial folks, they how are we testing their ability to gain weight on grass and milk if we are creep feeding them?
It might be a great managment tool for commercial folks, but there ought to be a law against registered folks using creep feed.
mtnman
mtnman- If you had responded to the original question in this manner, it might have precluded misunderstandings at the outset.
Creep feeding calves is almost as controversial a practice and subject as "What Beef Breed is - - Best?" The subject is similar as the time-worn question - "Have you stopped beating your wife?" Those subjects cannot be answered briefly in a few words, or with - "yes" or "no". Creep feeding comes under the same purview.
Let's review this subject of "Creep Feeding" quickly and succinctly, and attempt to decide if it is a 'procedure' for which YOU, as a Beef Producer, should consider utilizing. The practice of beginning a feeding program for calves in addition to and concurrent with their nursing their dams early on in their lives depends on many variables - such as the availability of natural forage, the price of seed stuffs, natural forage, time of the year, the percent of protein their available forage contains - -and on and on - - the PRICE of feed being a commanding factor once the decision is made to put the practice in operation.
The
reasons for making the decision to creep feed or not to creep feed are numereous - some of which have been specified above. It would seem simple enough on the face of it to prepare an area for feeding whereby the calves could have access to feed and the dams could NOT. The mechanism for initiating this practice of supplementing grass and nutritional intake for the calves in addition to the Dam's milk is reasonably easy. The decisions to do so are a little more complicated.
The technical justifications and formulae for creep feeding can be found in many publications and on the internet, and are too extensive to be listed in this post. However, the price of feed and the market calf prices are two very important factors to consider in either a cow-calf or terminal operation. The individual producer would be in a decisive position to make the final judgement.
As mntman mentioned, a purebred (Registered) operation would have a different and compelling set of reasons for creep feeding or for NOT creep feeding, and I don't have a dog in THAT fight. But I do understand the reasons put forth on BOTH sides of the argument. Whether it be a Registered operation or a Terminal or cow-calf program, the justification is to provide the least expensive and most profitable production system for the beef producer, wherever his ranch is located and in whatever geographical area he is operating.
The Canadian Gelbvieh Association has published a list of pros and cons of creep feeding which I think are apropos for this discussion. Options vary on the merits of creep feeding.
ADVANTAGES ARE:
1- When pastures dry up in Sept. and Oct., not even the best milking cow will give enough milk for an early March calf. Calves will often lose weight for the last two months before weaning if they are on poor pasture.
2- Creep feeding makes the weaning changeover easier because calves are already started on feed.
3- Gains are put on very efficiently, without danger of overfeeding at an early age.
4- Creep feeding may reduce "stealing" which many calves of the larger breeds seem to do.
5- Pasture management can be improved since a calf receiving grain will consume less grass.
DISADVANTAGES ARE:
1- Creep feeding can distort the production record of the cow and the performance information on the calf. The weaning weight no longer reflects the cow's milking ability, but also the amount of grain the calf consumed. (As per mntman's comments)
2- Feedlot operators may discriminate against calves that appear to have some degree of finish, as often is the case with creep fed calves.
3- Some calves eat a fair amount of creep feed while some will not eat any.
4- The added cost of creep feeders, grain and labor may not be justified if feed prices are high or pasture conditions are good.
5- Heifer calves that are over-fed in the creep feeder may fatten excessively. Some of this fat will be deposited in the udder resulting in reduced milk production when they start to produce calves themselves, leading to reduced weaning weights.
If creep fed calves have access to feed starting at six weeks to two months of age, they will consume up to 500 lbs of grain mix, and may weigh up to 60 lbs more at weaning time than non-creep fed calves. The cost of the feed, equipment and labor, compared with the increased value of the heavier calf will determine whether or not creep feeding will be a profitable option for the producer.
It is not as simple as it may sound at first blush!
DOC HARRIS
Hopefully, you can make some kind of sense of it. 
