By Mike Surbrugg

msurbrugg@joplinglobe.com

BUFFALO, Mo. — Gains beef calves get from creep feeding may not be economical for the producer, according to Gary Naylor, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist, Buffalo.

Creep feeding is providing concentrates to suckling calves to supplement mother’s milk.

“Many factors need to be considered when deciding whether or not to creep feed,” Naylor said.

At the top of list is the quality and quantity of forage.

When calves have access to quality forage the economic advantage of creep feeding is diminished, he said.

“An abundance of high quality forage like we are experiencing this fall should facilitate better calf gains than normal without creep,” he said.

Then comes the cost of extra gain. Naylor said grains and byproduct feeds are relatively high priced this fall. It can take as many as seven to nine pounds of creep feed to get an additional pound of gain per day, he said.

However, corn gluten feed, distillers’ grains and soy hulls are relatively inexpensive this fall compared with corn and should work well in creep-feed rations, he said.

“Recent research has proven that these products were found to be very palatable and gave favorable results when compared to corn/oat-grain mixtures,” Naylor said.

Then comes marketing strategy.

“If you plan to sell calves born in the spring at weaning, heavier, fleshier calves will be price discounted when compared to lighter, leaner calves,” Naylor said.

Creep feeding would not likely be economical when calves are backgrounded on a growing ration after weaning or pastured on stockpiled forage through the winter.

But if calves are put on a high-concentrate finishing ration immediately following weaning, research indicates that creep feeding may be beneficial, Naylor said.