Calves encounter a variety of challenges throughout life. Cody Schneider offers perspectives on using creep feeding to help calves prepare for what’s next. He says there are five benefits:
- Post-weaning performance
- Fewer health problems post-weaning
- Control coccidiosis
- Increase weaning weight
- Insurance for consistency
Much like preconditioning, creep feeding comes with added costs. However, premiums are not required to pay for creep feeding, and it can improve profitability.
Source: Progressive Cattleman, August 9, 2018. Link.
Creep feeding is one of the most practical forms of insurance available to ensure that you are producing a consistent product every year. It not only adds pounds of profit to the calf crop, it also aligns with the needs of the feedlot customer by teaching calves arguably the most important concept in beef production today – how to eat
INSIGHTS: Cow-calf producers will enjoy discussing this article with animal health pros. Consider using it on social media or in e-blasts as branding and weaning time approaches.