Author Topic: Do you creep feed? (Read 6538 times)

red · « **on:** July 21, 2007, 01:15:33 PM »

Was wondering how many start their calves on creep feed before they wean?
If so what type of feed do you feed? A textured or pellets? Anything special in it? What % protien. Any tips on how to feed it?

thanks,

Red

red · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2007, 01:21:11 PM »

We offer creep feed to the calves very soon. Seems that if we keep a fresh supply in front of them they find it & start investigating.
I feed a texturized 15% creep w/ decoquinate in it. I find that the calves like it & the extra decox helps prevent coccidiosis. We set up a seperate pen for the calves so that they can get away from the cows. I keep it well bedded to provide a nice dry place. The calves enjoy their time away from the moms & start eating sooner.
After they have been weaned, we switch to a 12% but still w/ the decox. Both my products come from Kalmbach Feeds.

Red

Jill · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2007, 02:06:44 PM »

Most definitely, we put out creep feed from the time the 1st calves are 2 weeks old, we have like a 8 X 10 calving hut thing that we put a calf gate up so they can get in there and we start them in there with a feed pan with new feed each day, we feed the moms right next to there so they go in and eat while the moms are eating. Once they start eating we bring in the creep feeder and fill in and they transfer over without a problem.

We start them on a textured baby feed, I don't have any sacks left so I'm not sure on the % is, we normally feed a coop mix, this year someone ordered in some Kent feed and didn't pick it up, we will probably use that from now on, were very happy with it. Once they are eating, we switch them over to Purina Show Chow, we grind the Grand 4 t Fyer to exactly replicate the Fitters Edge at a 14% ration and they continue on this from then on. We wean all of our calves at 4 months of age (this year we had pulled some May calves without noticing, they seemed to be ok so we left them) so the earlier we can get them eating the better off they are.

Zach · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2007, 02:52:36 PM »

we just start feeding all the cows around weaning time and the calves eat it too and they get used to comin to the barn off the back forty

showcattlegal · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2007, 03:21:15 PM »

we creep feed as soon as the calves can eat. we have to feed our cows year around and they don't let the calves get very much, so we try to feed them where the cows can't get it.

TJ · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2007, 05:30:50 PM »

Quote from: showcattlegal on July 21, 2007, 03:21:15 PM

we creep feed as soon as the calves can eat. we have to feed our cows year around and they don't let the calves get very much, so we try to feed them where the cows can't get it.

Nope, but this year I am thinking about creeping the ones that I want to show a couple of weeks before I wean them just to help smooth the transition.

DL · « **Reply #6 on:** July 21, 2007, 06:30:22 PM »

Unless the pasture is fabulous (which hasn't happened in a long time) I creep from day one - there is a "virtual hot wire in front of the entrance to a pen" - calves go in cows don't . Calves seem to like to get away from mom. I use one grain mix (that the co-op mixes for me) that I have created - sometimes I add calf manna for the calves - or have one of those bottle things that they can suck calf manna pellets out of - this is esp useful with bull twins with big appetites. Makes it real easy to wean them, they stay in the same place and I just shut the gate. For my goals skipping the "middle mom" keeps the cows in good condition, helps the calves reach their genetic potential and decreases the stress of weaning.

OH Breeder · « **Reply #7 on:** July 21, 2007, 08:50:05 PM »

I have a creep feeder in the pens yeary round. One corner of the barn has a calf gate so only the calves get in. You will find the little buggers all hanging out there together like there own herd. I didn't use to believe in it til, i saw what it could do. I had a Lucy's Boy x Traveler steer calf that was a march and went from 60-70 bw to September one weight of 815#'s. I was amazed. he was the largest feeder calf that year at our county fair by weight. It was pretty amazing. At one year old he was 51" and 1250"s. Since then, we creep year round because we have had some later calves. They seem to tranisition right to the grower ration. I use Umbargers Show feed.

Show Heifer · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2007, 10:15:07 AM »

Wow, I am in the minority here! This is the first year I put a creep feeder out since about 15 years ago. And I just put out the feeder about 2 weeks ago!
I have found my calves just don't eat creep well, ( I blame it on my high milking cows!!

). But my show calves, I wean about July (I'm late this year) and get them on feed then. The base mixture is gluten, corn, protein, then I add oats, molasses, soy hulls, etc as needed. Nothing special, but it is cheap (around 130 a ton now) and works well. I am not a big believer of all the "super show potions".
I calve in march through June....and my calves will weigh 550-650 in the first of Oct without creep. This year, I have several twins, several old "one more year" cows (that shouldn't have been kept one more year) and several first calf heifers so I did put out a creep feeder, and the calves are eating some. So I will be anxious to see what their weights will be....and how much more they bring, if any at all. Seems like around here, feeder calves bring the same PER HEAD regardless of weight (with a few exceptions).

TJ · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2007, 04:19:29 PM »

Quote from: Show Heifer on July 22, 2007, 10:15:07 AM

Wow, I am in the minority here! This is the first year I put a creep feeder out since about 15 years ago. And I just put out the feeder about 2 weeks ago!
I have found my calves just don't eat creep well, ( I blame it on my high milking cows!! ). But my show calves, I wean about July (I'm late this year) and get them on feed then. The base mixture is gluten, corn, protein, then I add oats, molasses, soy hulls, etc as needed. Nothing special, but it is cheap (around 130 a ton now) and works well. I am not a big believer of all the "super show potions".
I calve in march through June....and my calves will weigh 550-650 in the first of Oct without creep. This year, I have several twins, several old "one more year" cows (that shouldn't have been kept one more year) and several first calf heifers so I did put out a creep feeder, and the calves are eating some. So I will be anxious to see what their weights will be....and how much more they bring, if any at all. Seems like around here, feeder calves bring the same PER HEAD regardless of weight (with a few exceptions).

Show Heifer... If you don't mind my asking, approx. what % of each do you feed?

Around here, we can get a mix that is roughly 1/3 Gluten & 2/3 Soy Hulls & a small amount of something else (I haven't seen the tag, so not sure what it is) added in for $130 per ton. We also can get 1/3 Gluten, 1/3 Soy Hulls & 1/3 Hominy for around $130 per ton. Not sure what straight soy hulls are bringing right now, but I can get those too. I am thinking of making my own show ration utilizing one of those mixes & adding some other stuff to it. Just wondering if you had any advice. I'm going to be feeding breeding animals that flesh pretty easily, so I am wanting to come up with more of a grower/developer type of ration. Any advice or suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Olson Family Shorthorns · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2007, 04:38:02 PM »

We feed our calves Umbarger's grower ration from an early age. The calves with the mother's that milk the best don't eat alot of creep, but the others do. It makes a big difference, and our calves look like they have that show "look" from about three or four months of age. It really helps when you're trying to sell show calves.

afhm · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2007, 09:00:13 PM »

We've had it out a good 30 days for the spring calves. It sure helps both cow and calf and makes weaning much easier. I think it helps their disposition as well, getting them use to us. I've had them come running up to me when I fill the feeders up.

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Do you start calves on creep feed before weaning?

Author Topic: Do you creep feed? (Read 6538 times)

red

Do you creep feed?

red

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Jill

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Zach

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showcattlegal

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TJ

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DL

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OH Breeder

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Show Heifer

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TJ

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Olson Family Shorthorns

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afhm

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