Where possible, include whole oats in calf creep feeds as they are slow to break down and help rumen development. Mr Hendy also advises including a recommended mineral and vitamin at 2.5% inclusion if there are known trace element or vitamin deficiencies, include further supplementation. Where possible, up to 8% long fibre chopped to muzzle width can be fed, but only if this can be fed in troughs or bunkers, or included in a total mixed ration don’t include if feeding in calf creep feeders or hoppers as it can cause bridging or blockages in the hoppers. Once the diet has been established, reduce protein levels to 15-16%kg/DM.Įnergy levels should be moderate to high – 11-12 ME/kgDM and digestible fibre at least 30% neutral detergent fibre (NDF). To get the best results from creep feeding, there must be a nutritional balance, with crude protein at 18%/kg dry matter or higher, and including up to 30% bypass protein. Move the feeders if the area becomes wet and muddy. Have at least one five-space creep feeder for every 20 calves because too few feeders will result in bullying and under-performance in smaller, younger calves.īy providing sufficient feeders in the field or yards, all calves can feed when they want to. This should contain high levels of digestible fibre such as whole oats and/or sugar beet pulp and once calves have got used to this diet gradually introduce cereals and other starch-based feeds. If calves are weaned at turnout or later in the spring/summer, creep feeding may not initially be needed at grass because they will utilise fresh pasture at turnout, but Mr Hendy advises reintroducing approximately two months prior to weaning. See also: Three stage feeding approach is helping beef farmers hit specificationsĬalves can consume up to 4kg/head/day, but be guided by milk and grass availability and quality of pasture on when to introduce.įor calves born in spring or early summer, grass and milk will decrease from early July onwards so introduce creep at least two months before weaning.įor calves born in late summer and autumn, introduce creep at housing, although this can be later for heifers and steers. However, for bull calves moving into a bull beef system, provide creep from at least eight weeks by separating from the heifers and steers once stock bulls are taken out of bulling groups.
Reduces the cow’s nutritional requirements and helps her maintain body condition in late lactationĬalves as young as three weeks will start to nibble at calf creep feeds but they won’t consume and digest very much of this before they are six to eight weeks old.Acclimatises calf to a change in nutrition at weaning.Helps maintain growth rates when milk or grass is insufficient late in the season.Calves have a feed conversion efficiency up to three times that of a cow so it is more cost-effective to feed the calf rather than the cow late in her lactation.
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