creeping calves

[circlew]

I am thinking about creep feeding my calves to help momma out during this dry spell. The calves will go to the stockyards. I have some cotton seed that I thought about putting in the feeder. I also thought about buying some feed in bulk. Thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[highgrit]

I creep feed my calves with 12-14% protein feed. Seems like mine start eating when feed their around 6 weeks old. We put our feed in trough and they get tame real quick. It's also nice to be able to look them over real good.

 

[circlew]

I will creep mine in a feeder. I tried getting them to come in an area where their mommas couldn't go but they would go. So I'm gonna put the feeder out so they can be with momma.

 

[Angus Cowman]

always been told take care of the cow and she will take care of the calf
I think the money would be better spent on feeding the cow instead of the calf
yes the calf will grow better but it won't do anything for the health or nutrition of the cow or take any noticeable stress off of her

at feed prices today it would be harder than ever to get creep feeding to pencil out

 

[Jogeephus]

Around here if you get them to fleshy looking you'll get docked when you sell them.

 

[Isomade]

always been told take care of the cow and she will take care of the calf
I think the money would be better spent on feeding the cow instead of the calf
yes the calf will grow better but it won't do anything for the health or nutrition of the cow or take any noticeable stress off of her

at feed prices today it would be harder than ever to get creep feeding to pencil out

I agree. And the cow needs to breed back...

 

[circlew]

I've got a pile of cotton seed that I was feeding the cows until I turned the bull out. Now I just feed some every once in a while, because I was told the cotton seed would make a bull go sterile if he got to much. Do any of yall know anything about that? :?: :help:

 

[jscunn]

We have fed cottonseed to cows during the winter with the bulls in the pasture with them. I think the cottonseed problem is with bulls that are developing (7 months - 18 months).. We certainly never had any problems with feeding whole cottonseed..

You could certainly use the cottonseed as creep feed, you will probably have to add something to it (Corn, molasass, etc) to make it alittle more appealing to the calves.

 

[dun]

I've got a pile of cotton seed that I was feeding the cows until I turned the bull out. Now I just feed some every once in a while, because I was told the cotton seed would make a bull go sterile if he got to much. Do any of yall know anything about that? :?: :help:

Searcg thses firums for something like cottonseed sterility. Been cussed and discussed dozens of times.

 

[TexasBred]

We have fed cottonseed to cows during the winter with the bulls in the pasture with them. I think the cottonseed problem is with bulls that are developing (7 months - 18 months).. We certainly never had any problems with feeding whole cottonseed..

You could certainly use the cottonseed as creep feed, you will probably have to add something to it (Corn, molasass, etc) to make it alittle more appealing to the calves.

When I hear "Creep Feeding" I always thing "free choice". Maybe wrong in this case but don't think I'd ever free choice whole cottonseed. Just too high in protein, fat and fiber to allow heavy consumption. Whole cottonseed can and will effect bulls of ALL ages if fed heavily but most folks don't feed enough to cause problems. Occurs most often in dairy operations where cattle are feed 5-6 lbs. per head per day, day in and day out and the bulls eat the same feed the cows eat. These type operations usually rotate bulls in and out regularly to allow the accumulated gossypol in the WCS to be removed from the bull's system (from 30-60 days).

 

[circlew]

So my best choice would be to feed the cows a bucket of cotton seed every other day, so it wouldn't affect the bull?

 

[TexasBred]

So my best choice would be to feed the cows a bucket of cotton seed every other day, so it wouldn't affect the bull?

Feed it by weight...a pound or two per head per day should be ok. WCS has tremendous energy content.

 

[houstoncutter]

If your gonna sell those calves at the barn, pull em of that ration about a week before you haul em...You want get docked for em being fleshy