Creep Feeding Could Help Calves in Right Circumstances

Creep feeding, or providing supplementary feed to a calf when it’s still nursing as the calve weens, is one strategy to help build up your calves, but is it a good one?

Travis Meteer of University of Illinois Extension says there are some benefits.

“I think the biggest reason producers are looking at creep feed to get a higher weening weight and we know that most commercial cow-calf operators are selling those calves at weening, so they can the direct result of that in the additional weight and check that they receive from wherever they market their calves.”

Creep feeding is generally introduced at about 100 days regardless of season of birth.

Meteer does note if you want to introduce creep feeding, be smart about it.

“Dependent on the year, whether feed costs and cattle prices match up to make creep feeding economical.”