Creep Feeding is the supplementation of calves while they are nursing their dams.  Young calves need a palatable, well balanced creep ration, first to attract them and start them eating, then to supplement grass and cow’s milk for the most efficient gains.

There are many reasons and benefits to creep feeding.  Among them are:

• It provides a way to compensate for insufficient milk.
• It makes for heavier weaning weights.
• It makes for more uniform calves.
• It makes it possible for calves to achieve their full genetic growth potential.
• It makes for economical gains, for young gains are cheap gains.
• It is more efficient to feed calves directly than to feed cows too liberally.
• It simplifies weaning.
• It provides calves that are bunk broke, calves that are accustomed to feed, with the results that they will continue to feed in the feedlot with a minimum of stress, shrinkage, digestive disturbances, and death losses, and without the normal period of 3 weeks to get them on full feed.
• It gives first calf heifers a needed assist.
• It usually pays.