Baby Food

Students (all seniors) enrolled in AGRI 610 Beef Cattle Production and Management this past spring semester were asked to choose a topic about beef production and write a short article to share with the public about that topic.  The topics could cover anything from a description of their own ranch operations to a specific aspect of beef, such as its nutritional value. These articles are also being shared with each student’s local hometown newspaper.

By Jacy Littrell

Creep feeding has nothing to do with your brother creeping into the kitchen for a late-night snack. Some say that the word “creep” in creep feeding comes from calves creeping under fences to get food that the larger animals could not get to. Calves start out on their mother’s milk and later follow their mother’s lead eating grass and grain. Calves grow relatively fast and need to eat a lot to support this growth. Producers are taking advantage of this and are offering nutritional feeding that only calves can access.

There are many advantages and disadvantages to creep feeding, which is a feeding program that gives calves the chance to eat feed that is not available to the other cattle. According to Tom Hamilton of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, the No. 1 reason for going this route is to increase the growth rate in calves that are still nursing. Basically, farmers are giving calves the opportunity to eat more nutritious food that is only available to them so they can grow bigger, faster. Equipment is designed to keep adult animals out of the feed and give calves unlimited access to it. Hamilton says that creep feeding calves should generally be done before the weaning process.

Creep feeding programs help farmers and ranchers provide better quality meat to the consumer. These programs assist calves in growing to their full genetic potential. Giving these animals the chance to grow faster and bigger, puts more food on the tables of the world. As calves approach the weaning process, they require more and more food. Beef producers strive to raise calves that are fast growing and can produce as many pounds of high-quality beef as possible. By speeding up the growth process, there comes a point where the cows can no longer support their nutrient requirements.

Cows can only produce enough nutritional milk for the first 90 days to sustain a calf after birth. After this time, a calf needs to get nutrients from other sources to reach rapid growth. According to Hamilton, if the calf does not get enough nutrients, it will not reach its highest growth potential. When the extra nutrients are not available, it is important for beef producers to supply them.

Creep feeding does not just benefit the quality of meat for consumers, but also the economy. When drought strikes, pasture quality is lowered. Without high-quality pasture, milk production in cows decreases. According to The Cattle Site, a beef news website, this is an optimum time to creep feed calves because they cannot get all the nutrients they need from the reduced amount of milk.

The Beef Site, another news website for the beef industry, says these feeding programs help reduce disease when the calves are being weaned off their mothers. Calves are most vulnerable to diseases during the weaning process, and the medical care needed can be expensive. Creep feeding helps lower the cost of production, which makes beef cheaper for those who like to dig into a juicy burger or steak.

Creep feeding calves also conserves pasture. If calves are drinking less milk, then the cows do not need as much food to support milk production. Producing milk uses a lot of energy in the cow, so they need a lot of nutrients. On the other hand, if cows are milking extremely well, creep feeding may not be needed. The costs of this program may not be worth it if the calves are getting the amount of nutrients they need to grow to their full potential.

Creep-fed calves are predicted to gain anywhere from five to ten pounds prior to weaning. According to feedlot specialist Rob Hand, creep feeding can help increase the weaning weight of calves by 40 pounds. These extra pounds help calves rebound more quickly after weaning. It is a stressful time for the calves, and weight loss is very common.

Creep feeding can be a disadvantage if the calves get too much. Putting on extra fat will affect their efficiency later. The calves will not be able to do their job in the feedlot converting feed into high-quality beef. The Beef Site explains the importance of growing bone and muscle to improve beef production.

Fat pounds can also more easily be lost than muscle and bone growth. When the winter months roll around and there is not as much food for the cattle, they will lose weight. Just like in humans, the bovine body uses up fat for energy first. By spring, the calves that were creep fed will have regressed to the same condition as calves that were not. Therefore, producers must carefully evaluate whether their herd will benefit from a creep feeding program.

According to Hand, oats are the most common grain used in creep feeding. The large energy concentration is why oats top the list. Another reason for using oats is there are fewer problems with calves eating too much of it. Feeding oats to calves that are also on pasture can raise the weaning weight of these animals by almost 24 pounds.

With all the advantages and disadvantages of creep feeding, farmers and ranchers must take a close look at the needs of their herds. Creep feeding can benefit those who raise beef and consumers who purchase it. Agriculturalists strive to feed the world and search for programs that will improve the health and productivity of their herd. With the Earth’s growing population, measures are taken to provide as much food as necessary.

Jacy Littrell, a 2013 Lincolnwood High School graduate, graduated this spring with a degree in animal science from Fort Hays State University. She is the daughter of Randy and Terry Littrell, Raymond, Ill.