Creep Feeding May Reduce Grazing Pressure on Drought-Stressed Pastures

BROOKINGS, S.D. -- Creep feeding can help reduce grazing pressure on drought-stressed pastures, a South Dakota State University specialist said.

"Generally, calves prefer milk, then palatable creep feed, and then forage," SDSU Extension Beef Specialist Cody Wright said.  "As such, introducing creep feed to the system can reduce the amount of forage consumed by the calves."

Three different types of creep feed exist - grain-based, limit-fed high-protein, and forage (fiber) -based.  During a drought, grain-based creep feeds would be the most appropriate.  Feed conversions for grain-based creep feeds will range from 3-to-1 to 10-to-1.  During a drought, feed conversions may be slightly higher than under normal conditions.

Calves will generally consume up to 2 percent of their body weight as dry matter (four to six pounds) of grain-based creep feeds.  To provide sufficient nutrients to support reasonable gains, grain-based creep feeds should be formulated to contain at least 70 percent total digestible nitrogen and 14 to 16 percent crude protein, Wright said. All creep feeds should be nutrient dense and palatable because dust will reduce consumption.

Many different ingredients can be successfully incorporated into creep feeds.  The inclusion of fibrous feedstuffs (i.e. soybean hulls, wheat middlings, corn gluten feed, and corn distiller’s grains) will help reduce overeating and digestive upsets.  Liquid molasses (5 to 10 percent of the diet) or fat (2 percent of the diet) will help reduce dust.  If grains are processed, they should be coarsely rolled or cracked to avoid fines and dust.

Ionophores (Rumensin and Bovatec) should also be included to improve gain and feed efficiency and help prevent coccidiosis.  The inclusion of ionophores may reduce intake, which will help prevent overeating, but may also reduce energy intake, Wright said.  Supplemental phosphorus and vitamin A are also desirable under drought conditions.

White salt can be used to control intake of the creep feed if necessary.  Begin by including white salt at only 1 to 2 percent of the diet; then increase gradually until the desired intake is reached.  Use of white salt to control intake is much more effective when the salt is incorporated into a pellet.

Since most commercial creep feeds are pelleted and contain a balance of energy and protein, they may be a desirable alternative for many producers. Most commercial creep feeds contain fibrous by-product feeds as primary ingredients and are pelleted to increase palatability and incorporate vitamins, minerals, and ionophores.

For more information on drought, go to the SDSU drought Web site at http://sdces.sdstate.edu/drought/.  More information specifically for livestock producers is at an SDSU Department of Animal and Range Science Web site, http://ars.sdstate.edu/extbeef/Drought_Management.htm or contact any county Extension office.

** For links to other sites showcasing SDSU's work in teaching, research, and Extension, visit http://sdces.sdstate.edu.

Lance Nixon, Editor
AgBio Communications Unit
South Dakota State University
ACC, Box 2231, Rm 200
Brookings, SD 57007
Telephone: (605) 688-4653
Lance_Nixon@sdstate.edu