CASHING IN ON EFFICIENCY

Due to the reduced requirements for maintenance, young animals are more efficient at converting feed into liveweight gain than older animals. This means they must eat less to gain the same liveweight. Creep feeding can offer many advantages on farm and with market prices at record highs, there is no better time to creep feed to get lambs away quickly, at the right weight, with good kill out percentage and to maximise weight gain on suckled calves.

RUMEN DEVELOPMENT

Creep feeding not only plays a role in getting faster growth rates but also drives rumen development which is crucial to maximise the absorption of nutrients from feed and forages. This sets the rumen up for lifelong efficiency and performance.

REDUCE PRESSURE ON DAMS

Offering creep reduces pressure on ewes and cows, allowing them to regain body condition and return to their normal oestrus cycle, ready for tupping and bulling. This is equally important for twin or triplet bearing ewes where milk supply may be limited, or when lambing hoggs, which are still growing themselves as well as feeding their lambs, and for first calved heifers.

ENHANCE PERFORMANCE WITH TARGETED VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Vitamins and minerals from grass alone are often insufficient to meet requirements as growing animals have a high demand for nutrients relative to how much feed they can eat. Recent mineral profiles of grazing grass, carried out by Harbro showed fresh grass is commonly deficient in cobalt, selenium and iodine. These trace elements are particularly important in young animals, with any deficiencies causing poor growth rates and general ill thrift.

REDUCED STRESS AT WEANING

Stress has a huge impact on growth rates, meat quality, health and immunity. By offering creep early on, lambs and calves get used to eating away from their mother and become less reliant on milk, reducing the impact of stress from abrupt weaning. For animals destined to be finished on concentrates, creep feeding gets them into the habit of eating hard feed, easing the transition onto finishing rations. There is also a greater chance lambs will be finished before weaning, so the problem of weaning stress is eliminated for them.

REDUCED GRAZING PRESSURE

As it can take longer to finish lambs or grow calves on grass alone, market premiums may be missed and grass quality will begin to deteriorate, reducing potential intakes and restricting growth rates. Animals are also more at risk of higher worm and parasite burdens if still grazing into the wetter autumn months. Grass remains the cheapest feed on farm so be sure to maximise growth and efficiency of utilisation by prioritising grass to the youngstock. Creep feeding when their feed conversion efficiency is at its highest, proves much more economical than feeding the ewes and cows to produce milk.

WHY CHOOSE A PELLET?

• Lambs & calves are not able to sort through feed, meaning
  every mouthful is the same which reduces the risk of acidosis.
• Runs well in feeders.
• Harbro pellets are very dense, so less time spent filling creep
  feeders.

KEY MANAGEMENT TIPS:

• Build up level of feed gradually to reduce risk of acidosis.
• Fresh, clean water and roughage should always be available.
• Never let feeders run empty.
• Feeders should be on a dry, hard standing.
• Keep feed fresh and troughs clean.
• Consider clostridial vaccines for fast growing stock.

With the right nutrition and management, now is the time to start cashing in on efficiency and setting your youngstock up for a lifetime of performance.