Creep Feed

cattlemen51 · Apr 21, 2014

What are some creep feed rations everyone is using for weaned calves weighing 600 lbs +? What are some Average Daily Gaines you have seen with them.

rackranch · Apr 22, 2014

Have you considered going to a grower ration on 600lb weaned calves as opposed to a creep feed? At that weight I would have them on a 12% protein 3% fat feed consisting of oats, corn, cottonseed hulls, ect.

RyanChandler · Apr 22, 2014

rackranch said:
Have you considered going to a grower ration on 600lb weaned calves as opposed to a creep feed? At that weight I would have them on a 12% protein 3% fat feed consisting of oats, corn, cottonseed hulls, ect.

This is confusing to me as 'creep' is just a generic word for feed that is fed to a calf. You can buy a 20% creep or a 10% creep- and every % in between- ranging from mid 50% tdn to over 70%.

rackranch · Apr 22, 2014

Did you read his post? He states weaned calves weighing 600lbs. To me creep is fed to nursing calves to increase ADG and weaning weight. What is ''creep feed" mean to you ?

Every time you start to gain a little respect from me you come off with a comment like this...

-XBAR- said:
rackranch said:

Have you considered going to a grower ration on 600lb weaned calves as opposed to a creep feed? At that weight I would have them on a 12% protein 3% fat feed consisting of oats, corn, cottonseed hulls, ect.

Click to expand...

This is confusing to me as 'creep' is just a generic word for feed that is fed to a calf. You can buy a 20% creep or a 10% creep- and every % in between- ranging from mid 50% tdn to over 70%.

RyanChandler · Apr 23, 2014

Creep most specifically refers to the size of pellet- like 3/16ths or 5/8ths - or it could be used generically to refer to feed that is fed to calves. Any ration can be creep fed.

The sole determinant whether a feed is classified as a "starter,' 'grower,' or a 'finisher,' is the energy level of the ration. It has nothing to due w/ the size of the pellet or the age of the animal consuming it.

Every time I start to think you have some cattle sense...
[quote author

=rackranch link=topic=48845.msg405599#msg405599 date=1398194113]
Did you read his post? He states weaned calves weighing 600lbs. To me creep is fed to nursing calves to increase ADG and weaning weight. What is ''creep feed" mean to you ?

Every time you start to gain a little respect from me you come off with a comment like this...

-XBAR- said:
rackranch said:

Have you considered going to a grower ration on 600lb weaned calves as opposed to a creep feed? At that weight I would have them on a 12% protein 3% fat feed consisting of oats, corn, cottonseed hulls, ect.

Click to expand...

This is confusing to me as 'creep' is just a generic word for feed that is fed to a calf. You can buy a 20% creep or a 10% creep- and every % in between- ranging from mid 50% tdn to over 70%.

[/quote]

Tyler · Apr 23, 2014

Creep feed to me has always been fed to nursing calves in a "creep feeder." I have heard the term used on this site in a lot of different ways. I looked it up and wikipedia gave a surprisingly thorough and in my opinion correct description. I will agree with rackranch that a 12-14% grower ration is what I would use and depending on how hard it is fed I would think you could get a calf to gain 3lbs/day on it. I have had our show steers gain 3.75lbs/day on a 14% grower ration over 100 days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creep_feeding

http://www.5slivestockequipment.com/werkmeister.asp

cattlemen51 · Apr 23, 2014

Tyler, what grower ration are you using? They on full feed or do you limit them?

RyanChandler · Apr 23, 2014

Your Wikipedia link takes you to "creep feeding" where "creep" is used there as an adverb to describe a practice. Rack used creep as if 'creep' denotes a particular feed value- which it doesn't.

I can put a 10,12,14,18, or even 20% creep in a creep feeder and creep feed calves.

For the last two months, I have been feeding my bull ~25lbs of a 14% creep feed every day. This 14% 'creep' feed is a 3/16ths pellet whereas the 14% 'cube' is a 5/8ths pellet.
http://www.bigvfeeds.com/index.cfm?show=10&mid=80

Tyler said:
Creep feed to me has always been fed to nursing calves in a "creep feeder." I have heard the term used on this site in a lot of different ways. I looked it up and wikipedia gave a surprisingly thorough and in my opinion correct description. I will agree with rackranch that a 12-14% grower ration is what I would use and depending on how hard it is fed I would think you could get a calf to gain 3lbs/day on it. I have had our show steers gain 3.75lbs/day on a 14% grower ration over 100 days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creep_feeding

http://www.5slivestockequipment.com/werkmeister.asp

Tyler · Apr 23, 2014

cattlemen51 said:
Tyler, what grower ration are you using? They on full feed or do you limit them?

http://shop.showrite.com/show-rite-cruiser/

We grind and mix our own but it is modeled after the Hubbard show rite cruiser. Used to buy it by the bag but depending on the price of corn it is $150-200/ton cheaper to mix your own.

I have 2 steers and 2 heifers on feed now and i have them limit fed up to 20 lbs/hd/day and i would expect them to be gaining 3+ lbs per day. They weigh between 900-1000lbs and clean it up within 10 minutes. A good rule of thumb would be 2% of their body weight but I would think you could get 600 lbers to eat 14lbs pretty easy if you work them up to that.

Tyler · Apr 23, 2014

-XBAR- said:
Your Wikipedia link takes you to "creep feeding" where "creep" is used there as an adverb to describe a practice. Rack used creep as if 'creep' denotes a particular feed value- which it doesn't.

I can put a 10,12,14,18, or even 20% creep in a creep feeder and creep feed calves.

For the last two months, I have been feeding my bull ~25lbs of a 14% creep feed every day. This 14% 'creep' feed is a 3/16ths pellet whereas the 14% 'cube' is a 5/8ths pellet.
http://www.bigvfeeds.com/index.cfm?show=10&mid=80

Could be a regional thing, I would call that creep feed and give it to suckling calves. The elevator will fill your creep feeder with whatever percent protein creep you want it just depends how much you want to spend or what your goals are. It's essentially a complete feed in a pellet form and if you look at the guaranteed analysis I'm sure it's about the same as a 14% grower ration from a show feed manufacturer. So feeding it past weaning would make sense and work just fine.

I bet you call it soda or coke and say y'all <beer>

RyanChandler · Apr 23, 2014

This is not a semantics issue. Why does what class of animal you decide to feed it to determine what you call the name of the feed?

The term creep feed does not denote any particular feed value. This was my point from the very beginning when I questioned rackranch's comment regarding switching from a creep feed to a grower.

Cham2135 · Apr 24, 2014

In my opinion "creep feed" is fed to growing, nursing calves. We are putting our creep feeder out this weekend. Not sure what the feed is off the top of my head (I will get back to you)

We feed our show calves a "grower" show feedfrom around 500lbs on up. Everything else gets cracked corn, beet pulp, protein pellets, and molasis.

RyanChandler · Apr 24, 2014

Most bagged creep feeds are classified as 'grower' rations. I'm not sure if this takes more understanding then you folks are showing-- but every single feed mix imaginable is either classified as a starter, a grower, or a finisher. The only distinction being the energy level of the feed.

Tyler · Apr 24, 2014

-XBAR- said:
Most bagged creep feeds are classified as 'grower' rations. I'm not sure if this takes more understanding then you folks are showing-- but every single feed mix imaginable is either classified as a starter, a grower, or a finisher. The only distinction being the energy level of the feed.

This is the dumbest argument ever, my "understanding" is just fine. You will notice I agreed that the creep in your picture is essentially a grower ration in pellet form. Where we differ is what kind of animal to feed it to. I would stop feeding it at weaning because of the cost associated with the pelleting. I should have used "textured feed" instead of "grower" when describing what I would feed after weaning.

Westtexas1005 · Apr 24, 2014

I usually don't do this but feel it is necessary, I believe everyone is missing the point of the distinction between creep feed and textured feed. That's the only true difference, yes there is a Starter creep and grower creep and finisher creep, But most only use a starter creep and then switch to a grower (texture type). When people talk about grower feed most in this world would think of a textured feed, notice most not all. It can be a semantics thing that is taught just sit around and listen to a few old timers talk and its easy to get mixed up. Now I believe that Rack meant use a textured feed instead of a creep. Not mixing anything up but that's where (IMO) all this great confusing is, and not that everyone is wrong in this world when we say switch from a creep to a grower. If you do look up creep it isn't the size pellet, even though that is what some Mills have gone to calling it, it refers to a style of feeding in which young animals are allowed in an opening that does not allow for the adults in. I am sure this is all clear as mud.

Thanks, and have a marvelous day.

Tyler · Apr 24, 2014

cattlemen51 said:
Tyler, what grower ration are you using? They on full feed or do you limit them?

Here is a picture of the grower ration we mix.

Creep Feed

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