Creep feed: Indispensable in goat, calf production system
WHILE genetics determine the growth potential of a kid or calf, environmental factors such as nutrition affect the extent to which this potential is reached. In this instance, using creep feed in an intensive goat or calf production system can be very valuable.
Studies have shown that prenatal nutrition, early colostrum intake and adequate milk production all contribute to good quality kids that have high weaning percentages. The last 50 days of gestation are particularly important in terms of nutrition.
During this trimester, the birth weight of the kids or calves increases by as much as 70 per cent, and mammary gland development and the potential milk production of the doe or cow are established.
PRODUCE
It is recommended that does or cows receive good quality complementary feed approximately four to six weeks before kidding or calving in order to produce strong, viable kids or calves especially if they are producing twins or singles.
In addition to adequate maternal milk production, there are other ways to improve kids’ or calf’s nutritional status. Palatable creep feed (21 per cent protein) containing high quality raw materials is such an option.
Since the kids/calves are extremely ef icient feed converter (1: 1), the results yielded by creep feed ultimately justify the cost principles of Creep Feeding.
Kids or calves must be introduced to creep feed at an early stage, at about 10 days of age.
BEHAVIOUR
As the kids or calves mimic the doe’s or cow behaviour, creep feed can be given ad lib to both on the irst day, so as to teach the kids or calves to ingest feed faster.
Where the doe or cow is also given feed for milk production, the kid or calf will behave similarly, and creep feed can then be offered in creep pens from the outset.
The quality and palatability of creep feed is essential in meeting the objectives of creep feeding. For this reason, only high quality, palatable raw materials that are easy to digest are used.
Remember, during this stage of a kid’s or calf’s life it does not yet rely on rumen fermentation and its feed conversion ability is therefore very ef icient.
QUALITY
Creep feed should have a high protein content (21 per cent) consisting of good quality amino acids derived from natural protein sources e.g., Lucerne.
The carbohydrate should be suficient to stimulate volatile fatty acid production, as butyric acid is essential for rumen wall and villi development.
Furthermore, palatable structural carbohydrates should be included for healthy rumen wall development.
The mineral, trace mineral, and vitamin content must be balanced according to nutritional requirements of the young kid or calf, so as support rumen and immune system development. Creep feed should preferably be offered as a creep pellet, as it dramatically reduces wastage and selective feeding.
In addition to the obvious bene its of growth and development, creep feed also has indirect bene its. By around four weeks of age, creep feed can meet approximately half of the kid’s/calf’s nutritional requirements.
CONVENTIONAL
These kids/calves should then weigh 10 to 20 per cent heavier at weaning, which means kids/ calves reach their market weight earlier. Where a conventional weaning age of 120 -180 days is used, these kids/calves can be marketed directly at weaning, as they will already have reached the ideal weight of 22 – 25 kg for single kids or 20 – 22 kg for twins from good quality goats, 200kg for calves at 6-7months good quality cows.
This gives the doe/cow more time to build up her condition and it its in well with an accelerated kidding/calving system for mating again in November / December to kid/calve again in April / May or cows in September the following year with good quality winter feed e.g., green irrigated pastures. Once weaned, the kids/calves can either be selected as replace kids/ heifers from good producing does/cows for breeding herd or inished for marketing in a feedlot.
Kids/calves given creep feed and which are also weaned early, it in very well with systems where the producer wishes to add value to the kid/calf, whether in a green grazing based or intensive feedlot system.
Making use of green grazing instead of expensive grains or concentrate based feedlots is more economical, provided the kids/ calves are kept on top quality green grazing.
GRAZING
In a grazing system, kids/calves can be marketed at a higher slaughter weight, without necessarily affecting the carcass grading. Compared to a feedlot, grazing offers the opportunity to utilize infrastructure such as camps, which can halve the amount/costs of concentrates needed to reach the inal slaughter weight required by the market.
In my opinion, and where the cost of creep pellets per kid/calf (+-5Kg per kid or 25kg per calf) is concerned, producers should weigh the bene its against the expense and not compromise on quality for meat goat/calf production of quality kids/calves for breeding or slaughter.