CREEP FEED AS A FACTOR INFLUENCING PERFORMANCE OF COWS AND CALVES z,2

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1 CREEP FEED AS A FACTOR INFLUENCING PERFORMANCE OF COWS AND CALVES z,2 T. G. Martin, R. P. Lemenager, G. Srinivasan 3 and R. Alenda 4 Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Summary A 21-year study was conducted to evaluate the effects of creep feeding on growth of male and female calves and on subsequent cow productivity. The study involved 831 Angus calves that were either creep-fed or not creepfed and 1,306 Angus calves from 210 cows that had or had not been creep-fed as calves. Both weanling and yearling weights were higher (P<.01) for male calves that were creep-fed. Creep-fed heifers were heavier (P<.01) at weaning, hut lost the weight advantage by 1 year of age. Creep feeding adversely affected (P<.01) postweaning gain by heifers and had no significant effect on postweaning gain of bulls. Creep feeding of replacement heifers had a detrimental effect (P<.05) on their performance as cows, as measured by number of calves weaned, calf birth weight, calf 120-day weight, calf 210- day weight and lifetime productivity. Progeny of creep-fed cows were significantly lighter at weaning when the calves were not creep-fed and tended to be lighter when the calves were either creep-fed or early weaned at 120 days of age. Progeny weaning weights were lighter at all ages of dam when the cow had been creep-fed as a calf. (Key Words: Beef, Creep Feeding, Preweaning Treatment, Cow Productivity.) Introduction Gross income in the cow-calf phase of the Journal Paper No of the Purdue Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta., Dept. of Anim. Sci.,Data were taken from the Purdue Univ. contribution to the NC-1 Regional Project, "Improvement of Beef Cattle Through Breeding Methods." 3Present address: Extension Agent, Shelby County Extension Office, 408 Tompldns St., Shelbyville, IN Present address: INIA-CRIDA 01, Apartado 10, La Coruna, Spain. beef industry is highly dependent on the production of calves with high weaning weights. Supplementing suckling calves with creep feed while they are young and growing rapidly is one means of promoting additional gain before weaning (Marlowe et al., 1965; Cundiff et al., 1966; Scarth et al., 1968; Holloway and Totusek, 1973a; Stricker et al., 1979). A change in the growth pattern will influence late-developing tissues more than early-developing tissues (Moulton et al., 1921; Hammond, 1955; Crichton et al., 1960). Therefore, different nutritional regimens may result in animals of similar chronological age but different physiological age. The nutritional regimen used during the period of rapid growth in cattle can influence the economy and rapidity of subsequent growth (Pope et al., 1955 ; Reid et al., 1957; Wardrop, 1966; Pinney et al., 1972) and affect lactation and reproduction in both dairy females (Sorenson et al., 1954; Reid et al., 1957; Swanson, 1960; Holtz et al., 1961) and beef females (Joubert, 1954; Pope et al., 1955; Christian et al., 1965; Pinney et al., 1972; Holloway and Totusek, 1973b). Mangus and Brinks (1971) reported that high preweaning nutritional level and heavy weaning weight of heifers were negatively correlated with subsequent cow productivity as measured by most probable producing ability. Those authors also reported a cyclic effect over four generations, with good mothers producing poor mothers and vice versa. The objectives of this experiment were: (1) to evaluate the effect of creep feeding on weaning weights of male and female calves and (2) to evaluate the long-term relationship between creep feeding of replacement heifers and cow productivity. Experimental Procedure Calf Traits. Over a lo-year period 831 spring-born Angus calves were utilized in a 33 JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, Vol. 53, No. 1,1981

2 34 MARTIN ET AL. study evaluating the effects of creep feeding. Calves were born between February and April of each year and randomly allotted to either a creep treatment or a noncreep treatment. The creep diet consisted of two parts ground corn (IFN ) to one part crushed oats (IFN ) and was fed for 90 to 120 days before weaning. Cows and calves were on pastures consisting primarily of bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and Ladino clover (Trifolium repens) with lesser amounts of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerate) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus c orniculatus ). Creep-feeders were located near shade, water and minerals in years 1 through 5 and 7 through 10, but not in year 6. The creep diet was available in self-feeders designed so that the calves had access to the feed while the dams did not. All calves were weaned when the average calf age was 210 days, and all weaning weights were adjusted to 210 days of age and a mature-dam basis for analysis. All male calves were placed in the feedlot, with postweaning management and nutritional regimens as described by Garrigus et al. (1969) and Martin et al. (1977, 1978). Postwcaning gain of male calves was adjusted to the control diet and(or) bull sex basis through the use of within-year multiplicative adjustment factors prior to data analysis. Data on creep- and noncreep-fed calves were analyzed by least-squares procedures. The model, a 10 year x two sex two treatment factorial, included year of calf birth, calf sex and calf treatment as main effects, plus all two-factor interactions. Dependent variables for the calf trait analysis were adjusted calf weights at 120, 210 and 365 days of age, postweaning daily gain and calf feeder grade. Cow Traits. Replacement heifer selection was based on adjusted 365-day weight ratios within treatment group. During the first 5 years, approximately 90% of the heifers were retained (Etienne and Martin, 1979). Thereafter, about 40% were retained, with approximately the same number retained from each treatment group. These Angus heifers were group-fed ad libitum corn silage (IFN ) supplemented with protein, vitamins and minerals to meet NRC requirements until they went to the breeding pasture. Selected replacement heifers were placed in the breeding herd each spring and palpated for pregnancy each fall. Less than 5% of the replacements were culled as heifers because of failure to conceive. Herd loss data for cows born in the first 5 years (69% of the 210 cows) were reported by Etienne and Martin (1979). Progeny data on the cows subjected to the creep and noncreep treatments as calves were collected over the last 19 years of the 21-year study. In years 3 to 10, progeny of Angus cows that were creep-fed were also randomly allotted within previous cow treatment to a creep feed or a noncreep feed treatment. Progeny in years 11 to 16 were randomly allotted within previous cow treatment to an early wean (120-day) treatment or a noncreep treatment as described by Richardson et al. (1978). In years 17 to 21, all calves were reared on the noncreep feed treatment and weaned at 210 days of age. The 120- and 210-day calf weights were adjusted to 120 and 210 days of age and to a bull and no creep basis prior to analysis of the effects of preweaning treatment of the cow on cow performance traits. Calf weights were adjusted for sex and treatment with within-year multiplicative factors. Birth weight was adjusted to a bull basis. Weights were not adjusted for age of dam. Adjusted calf weights at birth, 120 days and 210 days were analyzed by least-squares procedures with a model that included year of calf birth (18 df), age of dam (2, 3, 4 and 5+) and calfhood treatment of cow as main effects, plus all two-factor interactions. The lifetime traits of each cow included number of calves weaned in a cow's lifetime, age when last calf was born, calves weaned as a percentage of the number of years cow was in the breeding pastures and lifetime calf weight (sum of adjusted 210-day weights of all calves weaned). The statistical model used for analyzing the lifetime traits included year of cow birth and calfhood treatment of the cow as main effects, plus the interaction of these two effects. The effects of progeny treatment were confounded with years of calf birth and years of cow birth. Therefore, separate analyses were conducted for data on calves that were creep-fed (10 years), weaned early (6 years) and not creep-fed (19 years). The model for each analysis included the main effects of year of calf birth, age of cow and calfhood treatment of the cow, plus all two-factor interactions.

3 CREEP FEEDING AND PERFORMANCE 3 5 Results and Discussion Calf Performance. Performance of male and female calves subjected to creep and noncreep preweaning treatments is shown in table 1. Calf weights within sex were not different at 120 days of age, when creep feeding began, but male calves were heavier (P<.01) than female calves. At 210 days of age, creep-fed calves were 15 kg heavier (P<.01) than noncreep-fed calves. Results were similar to those reported by Scarth et al. (1968), Holloway and Totusek (1973a) and Stricker et al. (1979). Males were heavier (P<.01) than females, and an interaction (P<.01) was observed between preweaning treatment and sex. At weaning, creep-fed male calves were 20 kg heavier (P<.01), while creep-fed female calves were only 10 kg heavier (P<.01), than noncreepfed calves. These results agree with those of Marlowe et al. (1965) and Cundiff et al. (1966). Creep feeding increased (P<.01) feeder calf grade, a finding similar to that reported by Stricker et al. (1979). Male calves had a lower (P<.01) feeder grade than their female contemporaries. The interaction of sex and treatment was not statistically significant. Creep-fed calves had lower (P<.01) postweaning gains than noncreep calves, and male calves had higher gains (P<.01) than female calves. A preweaning treatment x sex interaction was evident (P<.01) for postweaning gain. Creep feeding reduced (P<.01) postweaning gains by.11 kg/day among heifer calves, but by only.01 kg/day among bull calves. Male calves were in the feedlot on a high energy finishing diet, and heifers were on a lower energy developing diet designed to sustain approximately.5 kg daily gain. Adjusted 365-day calf weights were higher (P<.01) for creep-fed calves than noncreep calves. The preweaning treatment x sex interaction (P<.01) can be explained by the different postweaning management and nutritional regimens for bulls and heifers. The creep-fed male calves maintained the weight advantage over noncreep males that existed at weaning (18 vs 20 kg). Creep-fed heifer calves, however, showed a 10-kg advantage in weight at weaning and a 7-kg disadvantage at 365 days of age when compared with noncreep-fed heifers. Holloway and Totusek (1973a) reported a 19-kg advantage at weaning and a 12-kg advantage at 365 days for creep-fed heifers over noncreep-fed heifers. n, o ~, ~z HI:I m~ ~, zz uf c~ r 0 0 ~ +1~ +1 M~ "N ~ :::L: -t-i ~ *1 q~qq~ ~ ' ~ ~=~~ 00 r, q 4~ 44,H r ~ r~ L) z ~h ~ r 4- O trio ~'o [ t +1 -H,o,-. ~ o ~ ~ ~ "~-~ ~ ~'~ O,, ~, Z ~ r ~.,,,,,~ Z eq O r. N 14 U o=u u X/

4 36 MARTIN ET AL. TABLE 2. INTERACTION BETWEEN YEAR AND CREEP FEEDING EFFECTS ON 210- DAY WEIGHT Means a SE of Year No. of calves Creep No creep means difference SE "* ** "* * "* "* ** 5.2 Avg "* 1.5 aleast- squares means. **P<.01. Table 2 shows the weaning weight response to creep feeding by year. Creep feeding improved (P<.05) weaning weight in 7 of 10 years, and the overall average response was 15 kg (P<.01). The range in response varied from a 6-kg disadvantage to a 41-kg advantage for creep-fed calves. The negative response in year 6 can be explained by location of the creep-feeder and low feed intake. The feeder was not located near feed, water and shade, demonstrating the importance of proper placement for optimal feed consumption and gains. Cow Performance. Performance of cows that were creep-fed and of those that were not is shown in table 3. Creep feeding had a negative effect (P<.05) on number of calves weaned per cow, calf birth weight, 120-day calf weight, 210-day calf weight and lifetime productivity of the cow. Cow age at birth of last calf and percentage calf crop weaned were not significantly affected by preweaning treatment of the cow. A high correlation has been shown to exist between milk production of the dam and weaning weight of the calf (Knapp and Black, 1941; Gifford, 1953; Pinney, 1962; Valesco, 1962), and this may explain the differences in cow productivity observed in this study. Christian et al. (1965), Mangus and Brinks (1971), and TABLE 3. PERFORMANCE OF COWS THAT WERE CREEP - FED OR NOT CREEP- FED AS CALVES Means a Item Creep No creep difference + SE No. of cows 100 No. of calves 604 Calves weaned per cow Cow age at birth of last calf, years Calf weaning, % Calf birth weight, kg Calf 120- day weight, kg Calf 210- day weight, kg Lifetime calf weight, kg 1, * " ** * , ** 9 aleast- squares means. **P<.01.

5 CREEP FEEDING AND PERFORMANCE 37 TABLE 4. EFFECTS OF COW AGE ON 210- DAY WEIGHT OF CALVES FROM COWS THAT WERE CREEP- FED OR NOT CREEP- FED AS CALVES Cow age, years or more Avg Cow treatment means a SE No. of calves Creep No creep difference 8E ** * 1.6 aleast- squares means. **P<.O1. Koch (1972) have also observed an inverse phenotypic relationship between early growth and subsequent maternal ability in beef cattle, while Swanson and Spann (1954), Hansson (1956), Swanson (1957) and Holtz et al. (1961) have observed a similar phenomenon in dairy cattle. In addition, Swanson (1960) reported lower milk production and udder tissue that lacked complete development of secretory cells in dairy heifers that were reared on high concentrate diets. Increased fat deposition in the udder during the preweaning period may also hinder secretory tissue development and permanently reduce cow milk production. Table 4 shows the effects of creep feeding for replacement females on weaning weight of progeny by age of female at calving. Cows that were creep-fed as calves did not wean heavier calves at any age. The statistical sig- nificance (P<.O1) of the comparison involving cows 5 years of age or more was a result of large numbers. The interaction between cow age and preweaning treatment of the cow was not significant, and the adverse effects of creep feeding the cow as a calf on weaning weight of her progeny appear to be permanent. The effects of preweaning treatment for progeny on weaning weight of calves from cows that were creep-fed or not creep-fed as calves are shown in table 5. Creep-fed heifers that were retained in the breeding herd weaned lighter (P<.05) calves than those that were not creep-fed. The most dramatic response was among calves that were not creep-fed and were nursing cows that were creep-fed as calves. There was only a tendency for creep-fed calves and early-weaned calves from cows that were creep-fed to be lighter at 210 days than similarly treated TABLE 5. EFFECTS OF CALF TREATMENT ON 210-DAY WEIGHT OF PROGENY FROM COWS THAT WERE CREEP - FED OR NOT CREEP - FED AS CALVES Cow treatment means a SE Calf treatment No. of calves Creep No creep difference SE Noncreep b ** 1.7 Creep b Early wean c Avg * 1.6 alcast- squares means. bcalves weaned at average age of 210 days. Ccalves were weaned at average age of 120 days and had access to self-feeders on pasture from 120 to 210 days of age. **P<.01.

6 38 MARTIN ET AL. calves from cows that were not creep-fed as calves. Since the data were analyzed separately for each progeny treatment group, no inference could be drawn about the significance of the interaction between calf treatment and cow treatment. Martin et al. (1970) reported a significant interaction between cow treatment and calf treatment based on an analysis of data from the first 10 years, when calves were or were not creep-fed, while Richardson et al. (1978) found the interaction to be statistically nonsignificant in years 11 to 16, when calves were or were not weaned early. What appears to be a simple management practice to increase the weaning weight of calves that are young and growing rapidly turns out to be a more complex problem when the life cycle of the animal is evaluated. Creep feeding does not always produce a significant advantage in weaning weight and is highly dependent on milk production potential of the dam and forage supply available to the cow herd. Postweaning gain is adversely affected in creep-fed heifers placed on a growing or developing type diet. Replacement heifers can lose the weight and bloom advantage from creep feeding that they possessed at weaning before they enter the breeding pasture the following spring. Creep feed also can produce a permanent detrimental effect on cow productivity. In general, if creep feeding is to be used, it should be used only for male calves or those calves that enter the feedlot immediately after weaning, and not for replacement heifers. Literature Cited Christian, L. L., E. R. Hauser and A. B. Chapman Association of preweaning and postweaning traits with weaning weight in cattle. J. Anita. Sci. 24:652. Crichton, J. A., J. N. Aitken and A. W. Boyne The effect of plane of nutrition during rearing on growth, production, reproduction and health of dairy cattle. I. Growth to maturity. Anita. Prod. 2:45. Cundiff, L. V., R. L. Willham and C. A. Pratt Effects of certain factors and their two-way interactions on weaning weight in beef cattle. J. Anita. Sci. 25:972. Etienne, S. E. and T. G. Martin Secondary selection differentials for cow productivity traits associated with seven criteria of selecting replacement beef heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 49:26. Garrigus, R. R., T. G. Martin, M. Stob and D. R. Perks Influence of creep feeding and postweaning diethylstilbestrol implantation on postweaning weight gain and carcass composition of beef bulls. J. Anim. Sci. 29:75. Gifford, W Records of performance tests for beef cattle in breeding herds. Arkansas Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull Hammond, John Progress in Physiology of Farm Animals. Vol. II. Butterworths Scientific Publications, London. Hansson, A Influence of rearing intensity on body development and milk production. Proc. Brit. Soc. Anita. Prod., p. 51. Holloway, J. W. and R. Totusek. 1973a. 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Brinks Relationship between direct and maternal effects on growth in Herefords. 1. Environmental factors during preweaning growth. J. Anita. Sci. 32:17. Marlowe, T. J., C. C. Mast and R. R. Schalles Some nongenetic influences on calf performance. J. Anita. Sci. 24:494. Martin, T. G., V. D. Bramblett, L. W. Douglass, V. A. Garwood and D. M. Travnicek Postweaning weight gain and carcass characteristics of bulls and steers from creep and no-creep pre-weaning treatments. Purdue Res. Bull Martin, T. G., T. W. Perry, W. M. Beeson and M. T. Mohler High-urea supplements and preweaning creep feed as factors affecting postweaning performance of bulls. J. Anim. Sci. 44:739. Martin, T. G., G. Srinivasan and V. A. Garwood Creep feed as a factor affecting cow and calf performance. J. Anim. Sci. 31:166 (Abstr.). Moulton, C., P. F. Trowbridge and L. D. Haigh Studies in animal nutrition. I. Changes in form and weight on different planes of nutrition. Missouri Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 43. Pinney, D. 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7 CREEP FEEDING AND PERFORMANCE 39 level of wintering and age at first calving on the performance of range beef cows. Oklahoma Agr. Exp. Sta. Misc. Pub. 43:35. Reid, J. T., J. K. Loosli, K. L. Turk, G. W. Trimberger, S. A. Asdell and S. E. Smith Effect of nutrition during early life upon the performance of dairy cows. Proc. Cornell Nutr. Conf., p. 65. Richardson, A. T., T. G. Martin and R. E. Hunsley Weaning age of Angus heifer calves as a factor influencing calf and cow performance. J. Anita. Sci. 47:6. Scarth, R. D., R. C. Miller, P. J. Phillips, G. W. Sherritt and J. H. Ziegler Effects of creep feeding and sex on the rate and composition of growth of crossbred calves. J. Anita. Sci. 27:596. Sorenson, A. M., R. W. Bratton, W. Hansel and W. H. Haugh The growth and sexual development of young Holstein heifers as influenced by three levels of nutrition. J. Anita. Sci. 13:1031 (Abstr.). Stricker, J. A., A. G. Matches, G. B. Thompson, V. E. Jacobs, F. A. Martz, H. N. Wheaton, H. D. Currance and G. F. Krause Cow-calf production on tall fescue-ladino clover pastures with and without nitrogen fertilization or creep feeding spring calves. J. Anim. Sci. 48:13. Swanson, E. W The effect of fattening dairy heifers upon their growth and lactation. J. Dairy Sci. 40:611. Swanson, E. W Effect of rapid growth with fattening of dairy heifers on their lactational ability. J. Dairy Sci. 43:377. Swanson, E. W. and T. R. Spann The effect of rapid growth and fattening upon lactation in cattle and rats. J. Anita. Sci. 13:1032. Valesco, M Level of winter feeding of range beef cows. M.S. Thesis. Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater. Wardrop, 1. D The effects of the plane of nutrition in early postnatal life on subsequent growth and development of cattle. Australian J. Agr. Res. 17:375.