Halloween has come early for cattle in America. Farmers desperate to deal with skyrocketing grain costs are reportedly feeding their cows candy as a feed alternative.

According to reports in CNNMoney and elsewhere, farmers have increasingly turned to creative alternatives to keep their cattle fed. The practice has apparently gone on for years, but only has recently gotten attention in the media.

Some beef buyers were not aware it was going on. And consumers may be shocked to find out that their steak is a little, uh, caramelized. When a shopper walks inside the meat or dairy department in grocery chains such as Safeway (SWY), SUPERVALU (SVU) or Whole Foods (WFM) or orders a steak at a fancy restaurant owned by Ruth's Hospitality Group (RUTH), the last thing they probably are thinking about is candy.

"I checked in with our national meat buyers -- we're not aware of any suppliers using candy for cattle feed, but will check into this," writes Whole Foods spokeswoman Liz Burkhart in an email to MSN Money. "As part of our onboarding process with new suppliers, we require them to provide a feed label, and we've haven't seen candy appear."

The economics of using candy feed are compelling.

"While corn goes for about $315 a ton, ice-cream sprinkles can be had for as little as $160 a ton," reports CNN, which points out that the sugary diet doesn't harm the cow or pose a risk to people who consume its meat or milk. The cow's unique biology, which includes having four stomachs, helps.

"Cattle are uniquely able to turn a variety of feed ingredients or unusable byproducts into the nutrients they need to grow and be healthy," according to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. "Based on the geographic region of the country where the cattle are raised, the feed may also include locally grown products that otherwise would be sent to landfills or burned and would go to waste. "

Farmers feed calves grass during the early part of their lives. When they get older, some are sent to feed lots where they are fattened up on a diet rich in carbohydrates such as corn.  Some feed lot operators and dairy farms are using candy and other sweet treats such as baked goods and Cap'n Crunch cereal as a substitute for corn on a limited basis.

Candy does not have the nutrients of corn and couldn't be substituted entirely for the grain. It would be as unhealthy as human going on an all-candy diet. But cows may be getting more out of candy than empty calories. Farmers are noticing increases in milk production and of course it certainly helps fatten them up.

--Jonathan Berr does not own shares of the listed stocks.  Follow him on Twitter @jdberr.

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