Creep Feed: Qs

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Silent Steve

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
159
Location
McAllen, Tx
What kind do you use and how much do you usually feed to a two month calf?

He was born dec 28th and for about two weeks he has been sharing ration with momma im not sure how to feed the creep to him only since they are in a pen together and what not.

What should i do with the whole deal?

thanks!

Steve
 

linnettejane

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
2,233
Location
eastern ky
here's a pic of what we use...i usually just put a 5 gallon bucket in and check it every day at first...when its empty i put another in...i dont like to put too much in because depending on the weather, etc it can go bad before they eat it all...i also like to put it on a little bit of a slope...
 

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kanshow

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
2,660
Location
Kansas
We have a creep feeder like linnettejane's.  Even though ours is much older & in a lot worse shape it still works great.    We found that if you don't wire or strap the top down, there are some cows that will get the top slid over. 

What we are doing now for baby calves tho is to shut the cows out of the shed or barns with a low board or creep panel.    The calves go in where we keep fresh bedding and some feed out in pans & those horse feeders that hang.  We also put some really high quality alfalfa out.  They start to nibble on that pretty early.  Its cute at night or during bad weather because the calves know to go inside and lay on the clean straw.   

Liike linnettejane said, we don't put much feed out because it is most important to keep it fresh.  They don't eat much anyway at this age. 
 

Cowfarmer65

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Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
201
Location
3060 South McNaughton Rd. Douglas, ON. Can.
I have an area at the back wall of my loose housing barn that is separated from the cows with a calf gate. We keep it freshly bedded and have feed out in feed tubs for the calves. The Shorty calves spend the night in there and my one Speckle Park calve who prefers to spend the night out laying with mom on the bedding in the yard.
 

cowboybecoachin

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Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
198
Because our cattle are scattered out over 10 patures that total about 4,000 acres, we use 1 ton+ creep feeders, and fill them up as needed. We use Martindale 14% creep pellet with 100 lb of corn chops and 100 lb. calf manna to add fat, energy, bloom, and palatablity. Pour in 1000 lb. creep pellets, 50 lb of corn and fifty lb manna, then repeat. The smaller corn chops and calf manna will filter down into the bigger creep pellets.
Freshness is not really a problem with this ration.
We put it out when the first calf is 3 weeks old. Eat all they want.
We wean a number of 650 lb heifers and 700= bull calves @ 7-7 1/2 mo.
Had some problems with wild hogs eating the creep feed and scaring the calves off.
 

mdb1985

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
20
last year I noticed racoons in the creep feeder regularly.  Is this something to be concerned about beyond the feed they eat?  Can they spread disease to the calves through the creep? What could you do to get rid of them?
 
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