Creep-feeding calves has a few advantages at this time of year. Better weight gains and reducing the cow calf bond are the most important.

Feeding may be especially relevant this year where grass supplies are scarce and cow milk yields are dropping off earlier than other years. Weanling can be a very stressful time on the calf and every year there are outbreaks of pneumonia on farms around the country where calves are lost and those that remain suffer a severe growth check.

In many cases, this growth check will never be made up and animals will be behind weight target for the rest of their lifetime.

Meal introduction

Introducing meal from 200 days on can help reduce the cow/calf bond. Ideally, calves will forward-creep-graze in adjacent paddocks and be fed using troughs. This way calves have access to the best-quality grass on the farm and also you can regulate meal intake.

While creep feeders are very handy, it usually means there a couple of calves that gorge the meal every day and the smaller ones don’t get any.

By trough feeding you can make sure all calves are feeding every day. Once one calf starts to feed, they will generally bring the rest with them. Lifting a fence for a few days might be enough to encourage them out.

How much should you feed?

If calves are being sold and they are good continentals bulls, they will be able to eat 3kg/daily. Continental Heifers will suffice with a little less, around 2kg. Traditionally bred weanlings like Herefords or Angus will take less, 1-2kg.

If these type of animals are overfed it can result in fat being laid down which may not help the sale and is inefficient at that stage in their life. If weanlings are being kept, 1-2 kg feeding rate will be fine.

Does it pay?

If cows have adequate milk and you have a good supply of quality grass, you may get good calf liveweight gains, but on many farms milk yields will be low and grass quality is questionable from July onwards. You can expect a conversion rate of 6kg meal to 1kg of liveweight if 2kg are fed across the board to bulls and heifers.

Bulls will have a better conversion ration. If we take current weanling rations at €270/t, that means it costs €1.62 to put on 1kg of liveweight.

Weanlings are currently making €2.50-€3.00 depending on quality, so it’s a positive return. Weanlings for sale will benefit most from extra feeding. Aim for a simple ration with a good cereal like barley, a source of digestible fibre like soyhulls or beet pulp and a good protein source like soya bean meal.