Using summer annuals such as pearlmillet calves can be stocked at six to ten per acre of creep forage. If the forage gets ahead of the calves, turn the mature cows in to harvest the excess forage. For fall-born calves, winter annuals such as ryegrass, rye and wheat can also be used effectively for creep grazing. Research in Louisiana has demonstrated a 91 pound increase in weaning weights when calves creep grazed winter annuals. Stocking rates and management of unused forage can be handled similarly to that previously discussed for summer annuals.
Creep grazing has a couple of other indirect benefits.
One is that calves do not get as fat as when they are grain creeped. This is particularly important for replacement heifers, where research shows that getting young heifers excessively fat reduces their milk production. The other benefit is that cows with creep grazed calves are fatter and weighed more than control cows going into the winter. Having cows go into winter in good shape is a big advantage on most any operation. As with most management alternatives, creep grazing has its disadvantages.