Pilgrim's Creep FeedsWhen Is The Greatest Benefit From Creep Feeding Realized?Creep feeding becomes more favorable to cattlemen when the price of feed is low and calf prices are high. In general, the best response to creep feeding is obtained when the calf's nutrient intake is limited due to either a low milk supply, low-quality roughage or a limited quantity of roughage. These conditions will exist with first-calf heifers, poor-milking cows, or when forage conditions are poor. This happens in late summer, fall and winter. The conversion of creep feed to added weight gain is an important consideration in evaluating creep feeding. In general, the higher the nutrition level of the calf without creep, the poorer the conversion of creep to added gain. If calves are nursing heavy milking cows and grazing excellent forages, then they are likely to be gaining very nearly at their full potential. Added feed in the form of creep cannot increase the rate of gain to any extent, and therefore, the calves will substitute creep feed for forage. Does Creep Feeding Improve Cow Condition?A common misconception about creep feeding is that it will decrease lactation stress on the cow. Research has shown that calves prefer to consume nutrients in the following order:
Since calves prefer milk over any other nutrient source, a prepared feed will not reduce milk intake. Consequently, creep feeding to reduce lactational stress is typically not effective. Pilgim's Feed Creep ProductsClick on any of the items below to find out more about the nutritional information. |