creep feed

[plbcattle]

how many of you creep feed their calves. right now with the price that calves are bringing, it doesn't make sense not to creep feed them to gain that extra money on the calves.

 

[Bez]

Even when times were good we never did. I believe it is better to breed the growth into them. Cheaper in the long run, and makes for a better herd.

Cull, cull, cull!

Bez

 

[jgn]

I don't creep my calves however with the prices the way they've been for the last few years I do feed them for a while after thev've been put up for weaning till I am ready to sell them.

 

[G&L Cattle]

Bez, I appreciate your point, but I like being able to feed em while they're still on momma. Helps everybody involved. If you've got em you need to feed em.

G&L

 

[Wewild]

Helps everybody involved. If you've got em you need to feed em.

G&L

We never have.

 

[plbcattle]

i agree with the above posts but with the prices the way they are. if you add 20-50 lbs per calf at weaning and you sell your calves at that time you are loosing a lot of money at selling time

 

[Bez]

Don't sell them when I wean - just leave them on grass or hay depending on the time of the year. They leave here around 700 pounds.

Breed up and cull hard - save your pennies unless you plan on finishing.

Mind you I have a bunch here and a bunch coming - with no market - so maybe I'll give some away to neighbours kids - might be cheaper in the long run.

Dairy animals are driving prices down even further.

Beef @ 400 - 700 pounds were going for around 40 - 45 cents a pound and dairy were running around 20 - 25 cents a pound.

A few real dandy beef went higher - two animals hit a buck a pound - heifers for breeding (?)- but most were in the range I mentioned.

Only 30 or so head of beef at all sizes went through the ring - most around here are going out the gate direct to freezer folks. Around 60 - 75 cents a pound on the hoof - the buyer does all the kill and cut up costs.

Bez

 

[Texan]

Helps everybody involved. If you've got em you need to feed em.

Doesn't help everybody involved. But all of us don't subscribe to the same principles of raising cattle. Throwing more money at them is not always the solution. If you want to shoot for maximum production at any cost, that's your decision. I'm not as interested in buying maximum production as I am in acceptable production with minimum inputs.

Bottom line---I like for a cow to use grass to raise her calf. That's what she gets paid to do around here. But if you feel the need to help a cow raise her calf, and at the same time help the feed store man raise his kids, go for it. If it works for you, do it.

 

[Wewild]

fv

 

[Wewild]

[Bottom line---I like for a cow to use grass to raise her calf. That's what she gets paid to do around here.

and if she doesn't she gets fired.

 

[Bez]

G&L Cattle wrote:

Helps everybody involved. If you've got em you need to feed em.

Do not get it - you in the business of raising money on the hoof? Or spreading it around to others?

Texan wrote:

Doesn't help everybody involved. But all of us don't subscribe to the same principles of raising cattle. Throwing more money at them is not always the solution. If you want to shoot for maximum production at any cost, that's your decision. I'm not as interested in buying maximum production as I am in acceptable production with minimum inputs.

Bottom line---I like for a cow to use grass to raise her calf. That's what she gets paid to do around here. But if you feel the need to help a cow raise her calf, and at the same time help the feed store man raise his kids, go for it. If it works for you, do it.

Cheaper is better - less money spent - 9 times out of 10 makes you more in the long run. But, put the pencil to 'er - if it works - go for it.

Wewild - what in the heck is "fv"?

Bez

 

[dun]

I only know of two producers around here that creep. One owns a feed mill and raises limo the other has poor pasture and poorer cattle and raises a british breed.

dun

 

[Wewild]

Wewild - what in the heck is "fv"?

Bez

Hit the wrong button at the wrong time. Next post was what I intended.

 

[frenchie]

Bez, I appreciate your point, but I like being able to feed em while they're still on momma. Helps everybody involved. If you've got em you need to feed em.

G&L

I ,d rather let the cow do that...thats her job.

 

[CattleAnnie]

No offense to those that creep, but personally there's no way we'd ever do it. I'd like to add that the only justifications I can see for creeping is that you have terribly poor pasture or inadequate milking cows (in which case sell the dud cows and consider running less head on your pasture) OR if you're trying to pack some extra weight onto calves for showing (some folks do practice this to give them an edge).

The job of the cows in our respective herds are to:
a) Breed every year (and on time)
b) Carry her calf to term
c) Deliver easily and mother the calf properly
d) Produce good quality and a high quanitity of milk (without blowing her udder structure)
e) Rebreed soon after exposure to the bulls
f) Convert grass efficiently enough to raise her calf with NO supplement beyond salt when in the pasture
g) Protect that calf from predators and bring her calf home fat in the fall

If a cow cannot meet the above expectations, she has no business being on the average commercial (and I dare say purebred operation).

Although it's redundant to state that we're in the cattle business to MAKE money and not spend more than absolutely neccesary (doubly so now that BSE has to all intents and purposes crippled our industry), money really is the bottom line.

Wouldn't you rather have the money spent on creep in your bank account or invested in cows that can raise their calves properly without a "feed crutch" (and yes, Virginia, our cows bring home cracking calves without creep feeding, as do everyone elses cattle that I personally know in this area, so I know it can be done)?

Remember folks, I'm not personally picking on those that creep feed... some folks just seem to love doing it. I'm simply questioning the financial reasoning behind the practice.

Take care.

 

[shorty]

I don't creep feed but I've often wondered if it wouldn't be a little easier on the cows if I did.

 

[dun]

I don't creep feed but I've often wondered if it wouldn't be a little easier on the cows if I did.

If it woould be easier on the cows you may have a problem with a) too big of cows, b) not enough or lower quality pasture, c) too much milk in the cows, d) cows that don;t fit the environment, e) calving at the wrong time of year, f) any or all of the above

dun

 

[Craig-TX]

Like others have indicated in this thread already, the money made in a cow/calf operation is made on the front end. A penny saved is a penny earned. If your objective is to make money, don't put any more into it than you need to get decent calves out of it. As long as the cows have enough grass in the summer and hay in the winter, with plenty of salt and water and minimal supplement, they should give you a good calf every year. If they don't it's their fault, not yours, and you should replace them.

Craig-TX

 

[tapeworm]

Those are good postings Craig-Tx and Dun...I agree....plus if you get your calves to fleshy the calf buyers are going to discount them some anyhow. When i run stockers I need to get some gain on em to...not to just payyou for your feed...if theyre carrying to much flesh I dont want em unless I can get em a lot cheaper

 

[plbcattle]

I don't creep feed my calves because my cows have to prove their worth. if I was in the commercial business I would. It makes me scratch my head why someone selling commercial calves at weaning wouldn't. it is simple math. you can feed a calf and put more gain on that calf than the cow by herself. the cost of cattle is so high that your return on your investment is far greater than the risk