Starting to creep . . .

[EAT BEEF]

I doubt that your findings that you are basing your theories on took into account the cost of todays feed. Also, do they take into effect what individuals think of your animals once they see the creep feeder sitting in your field? What about the potential customer that you lost b/c of this unsightly piece of equipment.

I would never creep my seedstock herd,but I don't have a problem with purebreed guys that creep,I just wouldn't buy anything from them.What makes me mad are people like my neighbor,he hides his creep feeders so potential bull buyers won't see them.One nice thing about it though is we have alot more deer around to shoot since he started creeping.

 

[angus9259]

All very interesting. Thanks for the replies. I too read an article out of Mi State U that said high feed costs NECESSITATED creeping because it was more economical to feed the calves directly than run it through their mommas. At the same time, the local MSU ag extention agent is NOT creeping this year because of high feed costs! The same argument has been held on this board and in trade journals about early weaning with very strong opinions in opposite directions. Very intelligent people looking at the exact same economics doing very different things.

 

[TexasBred]

I doubt that your findings that you are basing your theories on took into account the cost of todays feed. Also, do they take into effect what individuals think of your animals once they see the creep feeder sitting in your field? What about the potential customer that you lost b/c of this unsightly piece of equipment.

I know I've never hidden a creep feeder and know noone who's offended by one. I creep "small calves". Not 800 pounders. I've got some registered stock as well as commercial stock and pretty much sale everything at the sale barn. Folks know my cattle and pay a premium for them. When they come into the ring the have quality written all over them and the price they bring reflects it.

 

[Brandonm22]

As for running fresh weaned calves 45 days on grass and getting them to gain 80 lb i dought that will work, those calves would be ever stockers dream.

I don't remember ANYBODY saying anything about weaning them. If your calves are only gaining a pound and a half a day then your 205 day weaning weight is 377.5 lbs and you have got some real problem. Somebody with a modest 550 lb 205 day weight and a 70 lb avg birth weight is getting gains of 2.34 lbs a day just on mother's milk and grass. If you got good grass and the cows are still in good condition getting another 80 lbs of gain in 45 days is a conservative estimate. For that matter, IF you fence line weaned good calves and backgrounded them on good pasture (rye grass, winter wheat, oats) for 45 days I don't think 80 lbs of gain (1.78 lbs per day) is unachievable at all. If it is you need to change genetics.

 

[Brandonm22]

My cows maintain their condition fine. The calves would average without creep feeding 600 pounds. By creep feeding them I can make them alot heavier closer to 7 or above 7 usually at 205 days.

So if they wean at 700 lbs and if we assume your birth weight is 85 lbs then you are averaging 3 lbs of gain per day from birth to weaning. My 80 lbs in 45 days is only 1.78 lbs per day. IF you have all the high quality forages that those calves can eat and those calves are already gaining 2-3 lbs a day, I think you will find that they will keep gaining.

 

[dun]

We don;t creep but from the results at weaning this year it seems like we must have. Most of the calves weaned from the high 6s to high 7s and most of the cows gained weight while doing it. This old poison fescue must really be causing us some problems!

 

[TexasBred]

We don;t creep but from the results at weaning this year it seems like we must have. Most of the calves weaned from the high 6s to high 7s and most of the cows gained weight while doing it. This old poison fescue must really be causing us some problems!

Heck that 300 inches of rain you folks got probably helped too. :banana:

 

[dun]

We don;t creep but from the results at weaning this year it seems like we must have. Most of the calves weaned from the high 6s to high 7s and most of the cows gained weight while doing it. This old poison fescue must really be causing us some problems!

Heck that 300 inches of rain you folks got probably helped too. :banana:

You're right. Could have been all of the swimming built up their muscle