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Creep Grazing and Early Weaning Effects on Cow and Calf Productivity¹

North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7621

Abstract

One hundred fifty Simmental-Hereford cows and calves were used in a 3-yr study to evaluate three creep grazing treatments and an early weaning treatment on cow and calf performance during midsummer (July to September). Calves were approximately 150 d of age and averaged 178.6 kg when treatments were initiated. Tifleaf pearl millet (Pennisetum Americanum L. Leeke) was used as the forage for two of the creep treatments, representing two cow stocking intensities of .466 (TLM1) and .239 (TLM2) ha of base hill land pasture/cow, and as pasture for early weaned calves. A red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)-Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) mixture was used as the other creep forage. Hill land pastures were similar for the mature cow units in all creep treatments. Calf average daily gains ranged from .93 to 1.10 kg and were not influenced (P > .05) by treatment. Calf gains per hectare were similar for the control, red clover and TLM1 treatments. The TLM2 and early weaning treatments resulted in increases of 105.4 and 39.1 kg of calf gain/ha (P < .05) compared with the control. When calves were allowed to creep graze millet, decreasing the forage area from .466 to .239 ha per cow-calf unit resulted in an increase of 97.7 kg of calf gain/ha with no reduction in calf gain. Cows on the more intensively grazed millet creep treatment (TLM2) lost more weight (P < .05) during midsummer than those on the TLM1 treatment, but they gained 18.5 kg more (P < .10) weight than TLM1 cows between weaning and the start of winter feeding.

¹ Paper No. 11289 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agric. Res. Serv., Raleigh, NC 27695-7601. Use of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Agric. Res. Serv. or by USDA, Agric. Res. Serv. nor criticism of similar products not mentioned.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci.

³ Plant physiologist, USDA, Agric. Res. Serv. and Dept. of Crop Sci.