Creep feeding has a high return on investment

The experiment does not conclude which feed type is the most profitable however it does show that all creep fed groups grew considerably faster than the control groups and were more profitable. Using the values observed during the experiment and calculating the possible profit from feeding a commercial quantity of 200 lambs, a return of $1597.85 is possible for a feeding period of only 76 days. This return would see an Advantage Feeders 1800HD with creep panels paid off in as little as 4.3 months.

Fluctuating lamb prices has a moderate impact on profitability

Table 1.1 shows how a variation in lamb prices impacts the overall profit of each different creep feed ration. Based on feed prices remaining the same and the lambs per feeder increasing to 200, the break-even point is when lamb is $2.02/kgLW.

Fluctuating feed prices has only a small impact on profitability

Table 1.2 shows how a variation in feed prices impacts the overall profit of each different creep feed ration. With lamb valued at $4.00/kgLW, increasing and decreasing the feed price by $50/ tonne, decreases and increases the profitability, on average of the five groups, by $0.78/lamb. The feed prices in this experiment were affected by drought conditions in eastern Australia. It is possible feed prices will fall in the future and the application of creep feeding will be more profitable than the results indicate here.

Depending on feed prices, barley can be more profitable than wheat

In the experiment we found that a feed with a starch content of 43% of dry matter (Table 1.0) is adequate to achieve high growth rates in creep fed lambs. Barley commonly has a starch content of approximately 65% making it suitable for creep feeding. Many factors go into choosing a feed however, on price alone, barley can be cheaper per unit of starch than wheat, making it an attractive option.

Consider all the factors when choosing a feed to use for creep feeding

Each farm will have its own unique circumstances to consider, including size, infrastructure, non- livestock farming, labour availability and intensity. A creep feed ration that is more profitable for one farm may be different to another farm.

• Do you have feed stored on your farm or do you have to organise for it to be purchased and delivered? There is a cost in organising the purchase, delivery and unloading of feed.
• Do you have the time and labour available to inspect and clean feeders weekly? If you do, all of the creep feeding rations tested would suffice. If not, consider a ration containing a whole or cracked grain component as these generally flow better and require less feeder cleaning.
• What storage is available to you? Some commercial feed companies can reduce the infrastructure and labour costs of storage by unloading directly into feeders upon delivery. Can you use leftover creep feed in other feeding applications? Some feeds cannot be stored for long periods so having the ability to use this feed in other applications can reduce waste.
• If livestock enter a finishing stage, what feed ration are they likely to have? Livestock entering a feedlot or high ration finishing system are likely to reach a high intake sooner if they have experienced that feed in their past.