This is a popular question when dealing with higher feed costs. Several factors will influence the correct answer to this question. Feed cost, labor cost and availability, equipment cost and availability, calf marketing strategy, herd genetics, forage availability and cow age are all factors to consider when deciding to creep feed.
The first and most obvious reason to creep feed is to increase weaning weights. In spring-calving systems, milk production and forage quality declines as calves' nutrient requirements increase. Thus, creep feed can be offered to increase nutrition available to the calf. Calves with higher genetics for growth, lower-milking dams or in poor forage conditions are likely the best candidates for creep feed. Creep feeding duration should be kept short to avoid fleshy discounts at the sale barn. Overconditioning future replacement females can negatively impact future milk production and longevity in the herd.
If labor and equipment allow, I really like a short creep feeding period prior to weaning to help calves transition nutritionally during weaning. Offering feed for three weeks prior to weaning will help transition calves to a post-weaning diet. A short creep feeding period can boost nutritional status of calves and help them respond to vaccines and better handle weaning stress.
Ultimately, cost and return on investment is the major deciding factor in creep feeding. Feed conversion and feed cost play large roles in deciding if creep feeding will be profitable. Feed conversion can range widely, but 10-to-1 is a good number to use for a properly formulated creep feed. The following chart should help illustrate potential breakevens when creep feeding (Table 1).
Given current feeder calf futures prices at the time I am writing this ($232 per hundredweight [cwt], August 2023 contract) and feed costs that remain elevated, creep feeding profitability looks to be extremely variable. This table is a feed-only cost evaluation, thus all producers should look at the costs they incur to mix and deliver creep feed. An honest cost analysis and defined marketing goals will be important to decide whether creep feeding is worth it this year.
