Getting calves to gain weight most efficiently is the goal of every cow/calf producer. Some producers have found that using a creep system is a way of achieving that goal. Regarding creep systems, there are two options: Creep grazing and creep feeding a concentrate supplement. Both methods have pros and cons, so it would be best for the producer to research what works for them.
Between the two, creep grazing is generally less expensive than creep-feeding grain for apparent reasons. It also requires less labor making it more convenient. It can be challenging to find any information because although creep-feeding has been well studied, not much has been done with creep grazing. Understanding it may require more legwork on the producer’s part.
Creep-grazing pastures can add pounds to a calf’s weaning weight, just like creep-feeding. However, more than just adding weight to calves is needed to make them profitable. To understand this, the producer will need to look at things like feed costs and the market to see if they will be profitable. Here are some things to consider when making this decision.
What is creep grazing?
In basic terms, creep grazing is simply having an area of the pasture with forages only calves can access. Nursing calves will either get earlier access to more lush, higher quality forages before the cows, or they will have access to different pastures that the cows cannot get to. Using the particular pasture is done through an opening large enough for calves to get through but not cows. The gates are generally 15-18 inches in width and 36-42 inches in height.
The concept of creep grazing is based on the fact that suckling calves have higher nutritional requirements than cows. The need for particular areas is because just putting out higher quality feed will not work because the cows will more than likely eat it themselves. In this system, calves will be eating high-quality forage that provides higher digestible energy and protein. Since your typical pasture does not provide the necessary nutrition on its own, the producer will need to plant a higher-quality variety.
When it comes to restricting access to a creep pasture, there are a couple of ways to go: use of a unique gate in a fence or using an electric fence. Making a creep gate can be done by either making an entrance by opening the gate slightly and adding a post or by removing the gate entirely and using a specially constructed creep gate panel. Portions of a large pasture may be fenced off using a single-wire electric fence that is placed 36-48 inches in height. It depends on how much work you want to put into it.
Advantages
As with creep feeding, depending on forage quality, it can positively impact calf performance. A study by West Virginia found that creep-grazed calves had a 0.2 pound per day increase compared to non-creep-grazed calves. That may not seem like much, but when seen over a five-month grazing period, that is a weight difference of 30 pounds per calf. A 25-50 lbs weight gain per calf might be reasonable, but the increase may depend on individual circumstances.
Another advantage is that creep grazing is overall cheaper than concentrate creep-feeding. The first obvious one is that the producer does not have to purchase supplements. Secondly, the cow/calf producer does not have to buy the feeder that will be needed with concentrates. Not to mention there will be less labor involved because no feeders will need to be refilled.
With creep grazing, the calves can spend some time away from their dams. This benefit is that it can help reduce the mother/child bond. Since they are still in the same area, this separation will be less stressful for both the calf and the cow. This results in weaning being a less stressful event for both.
A more indirect benefit of creep grazing is that calves are not as fat as they would be with concentrates. The extra fat is typical because of the high energy content that most of your creep feed contains. What this means for the producer is that the calves will not get price discounts, which often happens with overweight calves. Heifers may get too fat and have reduced milk production when using a grain-based creep feed replacement.
Disadvantages
An obvious disadvantage of this type of system is that calves may develop the habit of squeezing under the fence. The problem with this is obvious. A producer can end up with calves with the bad habit of getting out or completely destroying their fences.
In order to make this work, a producer will need high-quality forages. Each pasture will require a plowable area with good soil for the forages to grow.
Forages are key here.
The type of forage that will be best suited for creep grazing will vary. Things like the season and weather conditions will play a role. Producers should select adapted forages that are known to be highly digestible and high in protein. If the calves are born in the spring, then warm-season forages are an excellent choice. Cool-season annual grasses can be used if fall calves are 3-4 months old in January or February.
During the warm season months, producers can use legumes, pearl millet, or sorghum-sudan grass. The warm-season legumes will typically be ready for grazing 6-8 weeks after planting. These forages will also continue to grow all the way into September. An early spring planting of pearl millet will provide forage from spring into fall.
Small grains such as oat, wheat, and rye are good options with the cool-season annuals. It is also possible to use Alfalfa and different clover varieties for creep pastures.
How to set up creep grazing
The size of the creep pasture will depend on the stocking rate and the productivity of the forages. A pasture’s stocking rate requires more than just how many acres there are. An earlier post, Estimating your grazeable acreage, discussed brush density, rock cover, and other factors. Once you know the grazeable acreage, take 10% of the herd pasture and use that for a creep pasture.
If the producer is rotating the pasture across two or more pastures, each herd pasture should have a creep pasture
Courtesy of the University of Florida.
available. It is possible to graze two or more pastures from one creep pasture if it is located in the right spot.
Calves must learn to go in and out of the creep pasture. The creep pasture or access to it should be located in areas where cows congregate. Places near water, salt, minerals, and shade are all good options for a location. Moving the water trough or mineral feeder into the creep pasture is also a good option. Using the creep pasture for 3-4 days should be the best way to introduce the calves to it.
