Effects of double suckling at pasture 2. Calf performance

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Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to compare the effects of single and double suckling on the performance of calves at pasture. In association with their own (status 1) calf, each double-suckled cow fostered a Friesian male (status 2) calf during the post-partum housing period. Calf live weights, milk intakes, and daylight grazing times and suckling activities were recorded.Single-suckled calves were significantly heavier at weaning (221 and 209 kg) than either status 1 (185 and 170 kg) or status 2 (180 and 175 kg) double-suckled calves in experiments 1 and 2 respectively. Daily gains of the single- and status 1 and 2 double-suckled calves were 0·87, 0·69 and 0·61 kg/day in experiment 1, and 0·94, 0·72 and 0·70 kg/day in experiment 2. Single-suckled calves consumed significantly more milk per day during three 28- day periods at pasture than did either status 1 or status 2 double-suckled calves (7·9, 5·2 and 50kg/day, and 90, 7·2 and 6·5 kg/day in experiments 1 and 2). Status effects in the double-suckled calves were not significant for live weights, weight gains or milk intakes.Double-suckled calves spent more time grazing and sucked their own or assigned foster dams less frequently than did single-suckled calves. Status 2 double-suckled calves spent more time grazing (experiment 1) and sucked for significantly shorter periods from more foreign dams than did their status 1 contemporaries.It was concluded that double suckling increased annual total weight of calf output per cow but that it was achieved at the expense of individual calf growth performance. Reduced milk intake appeared to be a major factor in limiting live-weight gains in the double-suckled calves.