Is Creep Feeding Beef Calves Profitable?
By Devin Broadhead and Matt Stockton, University of Nebraska extension
Successful beef calf producers continually search
for ways to improve their operation and bottom-
line. Creep feeding calves to increase their market
weight is one strategy. To be profitable, the costs
of the added weight gain must be less than the
value of that gain. Many factors contribute to
a calf’s weaning weight, i.e. nutrition, genetics,
age at weaning, environmental conditions and
so forth. A three-year study by the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln at the Gudmundsen Sandhills
Laboratory (GSL) using spring calving cows tested
the effects of creep feeding on calf weaning
weight and productivity. This report uses biological
information in an economic analysis to determine
profitability during the time of the study.
Conceptually, creep feeding provides increased
nutrition to growing calves, which increases
their weight at weaning. More pounds of calf
to sell at weaning increases revenue, but does
it increase profit? Past research has shown that
supplementation (creep feeding) directly to
growing calves significantly effects their weaning
weight. Creep feeding may potentially address
other concerns such as decreased calf productivity
due to undernutrition to dam during gestation. In
this work, it was also found that creep fed calves
retained added weight from weaning through
slaughter. The supplemental feed used in these
experiments was a commercially available mix
and used an additive designed to control intake.
This is a commonly applied method of creep
feeding, since it is thought to reduce labor costs
associated with daily feeding and feed handling.
The economic analysis is simple and based on the
difference between the costs of the feed verses its
benefit. It is possible that creep feeding may be
economically viable while overall profitability is
negative. The question addressed here is whether
or not creep feeding paid for the added costs.
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