Every producer has a set of reasons for choosing to creep feed. Those reasons run the gamut from simple tradition to a calculated management choice.

From the nutritionist's perspective, there are several advantages for creep feeding:

A) It fills a nutritional need. A producer has more pounds of calf to wean, i.e. heavier weaning weights. Older studies (1960 to 1970 era) indicated that creep-fed calves weigh about 50 pounds more at weaning than non creep-fed calves. With the advent of larger framed, implanted, growthier calves, the response to creep feeding is significantly greater than earlier reported. Likewise, the feed efficiencies of Cattle Charge are in the range of 3 to 4:1 rather than the 8 to 10:1 of the older style creep feeds.

B) It facilitates early weaning with more uniform calves.

C) The practice spares forage in drought years and raises carrying capacity in normal years.

D) It tends to improve cow condition, easing the stress on first-calf cows. Cows with creep-fed calves are heavier and breed back better. Young cows benefit the most.

E) Calves are more likely to achieve genetic potential. The industry has been able to improve the growth potential of cattle much faster than improving the productivity and carrying capacity of pastures.

F) It encourages rapid, early weight gains. Such gain is very efficient and directly associated with improved meat quality and marbling. Creep feeding improves the reproductive efficiency of the cow, improves calf weaning weights, and gets more cattle to grade Choice at 14 months of age. With the newly specified interest in cattle younger than 30 months of age, the ability to get animals to market younger becomes more valuable.

Strategies
Start creep feeding at 60 days of age to capture the best feed conversion rates. At this point, calves are bigger, the dam's milk production has already peaked and calves become accustomed to eating concentrate feeds. While grass is growing, creep feed needs to be energy short relative to protein. When grass is mature, it is protein short relative to energy. A smaller amount of a high protein creep is indicated. The table below is from a trial on fescue pastures. It considers the effects of no creep, a low-protein creep, and a Cattle Charge-type of creep feed.

There was a tendency for creep-fed calves to gain faster and more efficiently in the feedlot; not something expected with the older creep programs. Despite the heavier carcasses, creep-fed calves did not have significantly greater backfat.

Creep feeder management

• Place creep feed in the feeder immediately after moving the creep feeder into the pasture or immediately after moving cows and calves into the pasture. Calves naturally have an initial curiosity and will investigate the feeder. If the feeder is empty, calves are not as likely to check out the feeder again.
• Ensure calves are aware of the feeder being filled and the presence of the creep feeder. If pairs are not close or at least in sight when filling the feeder, they may not find the feeder for quite some time. Initially, the creep feeder should be placed in a location where cattle congregate, such as near the water source or shade.
• It is best to only partially fill the creep feeder at the first. Placing a small amount of creep feed in the feeder will help ensure fresher feed. Once calves are familiar with the creep feeder location and are routinely consuming feed, more feed can be placed in the feeder.
• Check creep feeders after a rain. Removing wet feed will prevent the feeder from plugging.
• Proper width of the slide opening in the creep feeder is critical. The opening should only be the width of one to two fingers--wide enough to permit feed to fall into the trough without allowing feed to accumulate in the trough. About 10 to 15 percent of the trough needs to be covered.