Getting calves started on creep feed

[SimFarmer]

I am trying to get a small group of  calves started on creep feed but they don't seem to care about it at all. The ration is off of Purina's Grand 4-T-Fyer Which includes corn, 4-T-Fyer, soybean oil, molasses, oats and cottonseed hulls. Our creep feeder is small with maybe a 4x5 ft cage. The cows seem interested in it but the calves just scratch around it. It has been out for over a week and we have started placing the hay ring by it far the last 4 days. Suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[savaged]

How old are the calves?

 

[blackdirt cowboy]

Put out straight oats until they start eating. Then gradually switch them over to creep. I've got two to three week old calves eating oats out of the creep feeder now.

 

[SimFarmer]

The  calves are about 5 and a half months old and their mommas are high milking recips. I am using the quietwean system to wean on March 10th (based on the farmers almanac best days) and would like to give them opportunity to eat when they can't  get milk. The calves haven't even stuck their heads through the gate yet though. I think they are scared of being trapped in it because it is so small.

 

[redcows]

Scatter sme straw on the ground inside the creep and they will gravitate there to lay on it.

 

[OH Breeder]

We put creep out as soon as the calves start hitting the ground. They start nibbling and eventually they will start eating regular amounts. As large as your calves are, they should start eating fairly quickly especially with the molasses. we bed the creep feeder they go in and lay around it to keep chickens out.

 

[diamonddls]

Put your salt lick or mineral pan inside the creep feeder and or some grassy hay. Something they are familiar with already older calves like that should take to it quite quickly when get the idea of going into the creep fence. As for the quiet wean method I find at that age the cows could also use the extra groceries so I feed a light ration in a bunk that both the cows and calves can reach in the calves will follow the calves to the feed. Once they get a taste and smell for it they will go into creep feeder quiet willingly. Good luck

 

[CAB]

  IMO as OH Breeder states is to get the feed out almost immediately. Calves are curious when young and explorative. As they age they get skeptical about everything. Anything that touches them, scares them. If they eat when they're young, they will come back in when you put it back out. IMO it is probably too late to start messing with getting them started in the creep feeder now if you are going to wean them the 10th. and then have to train them another new routine. JMO.

 

[triplec]

We normally have a difficult start with our calves as well, the sure fix for me over the past few years is to break a small square bale of alfalfa up inside the cage and then put a bit in the tray of the feeder. Sometimes it takes one more bale after they finish the first one but so far I haven't found anything else that will make them go to the feeder like alfalfa will.

 

[hntwhitetail]

We normally have a difficult start with our calves as well, the sure fix for me over the past few years is to break a small square bale of alfalfa up inside the cage and then put a bit in the tray of the feeder. Sometimes it takes one more bale after they finish the first one but so far I haven't found anything else that will make them go to the feeder like alfalfa will.

This is what I did last year and they finally went in.