Creep-grazing fall-born calves on winter annual forages

Abstract

Providing calves with access to high-quality forage through creep grazing prior to weaning may help improve calf productivity. In this study of fall-calving herds, the productivity of a rotationally stocked forage system with 10% of the pasture area rotated between winter forages for creep grazing and summer forages (CRP) was compared to the productivity of rotationally (ROT) and continuously (CON) stocked, perennial forage systems. Calves in CRP were provided access to the creep forage 6 to 26 d before weaning and through a 2-wk weaning process. Creep forage nutritive value declined over sampling period. Cows in CON had lower (P = 0.02) hay requirements than cows in CRP. Cow body condition score (BCS) prior to the creep grazing period was greater for CON cows than cows in other systems (P ≤ 0.001). Spring calf body weight (BW) was lowest in ROT compared to calf BW in the other systems (P ≤ 0.008). Calf BW following a 2-wk weaning process was greater (P ≤ 0.002) for CON and CRP calves (246 ± 4 kg) than for ROT calves (226 ± 5 kg), with no difference in calf BW at weaning (P = 1.0) between CON and CRP. Calf average daily gain (ADG; 0.92 ± 0.04 kg day^-1) from spring pregnancy checks through weaning did not differ between treatments (P ≥ 0.41). While creep grazing systems with cool-season annual forages increased fall-born calf weaning weights compared to rotationally stocked, perennial forage systems, the creep grazing systems required greater hay inputs without weaning weight improvements compared to continuously stocked, perennial forage systems.

Keywords: creep grazing; forages.

Figure 1.

Generalized timeline of herd and grazing management activities through the production year for three cow-calf grazing systems. Only calves in the creep grazing treatments had access to creep forage prior to weaning. Cows and calves in both the creep grazing and rotational stocking treatments were fed hay for around 4 wk during the calving season, while cows and calves in the continuous stocking treatment remained on pasture. Cows and calves across treatment groups were grouped and fed hay and stockpiled forage during the 68-d breeding season.

Figure 2.

Mean monthly temperature (C°) collected from an on-site weather station during the study periods across 3 yr, along with 30-yr mean temperature in Staunton, VA.

Figure 3.

Monthly precipitation (mm) collected from an on-site weather station during the study periods across 3 yr, along with 30-yr monthly precipitation in Staunton, VA.