Creep feed & Milk EPD: What we learned from tracking individual calf intake
May 12, 2021
Genetic trends for Milk EPD across most breeds have continued an upward trend, although direct selection pressure on Milk EPD has not been an over-arching goal of seedstock breeders in recent years. However, creep feeding has become wildly popular in the seedstock industry to maximize animal performance and to condition animals destined for a production sale. Unfortunately, the animal behavior aspects of creep feeding and the individual impact on the dam’s Milk EPD have rarely been studied or quantified. This study used the Super SmartFeed™ (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD) feeder to monitor calf creep feeding behavior and individual intake of creep feed during mid-to late-lactation.