Influence of suckling by Friesian cows on milk production and anoestrus

Abstract

The effect of time (morning or afternoon), intensity (three or four calves per cow), frequency Once or twice daily) and duration (1, 2, 4 or 8 weeks) of suckling on the performance of multiparous Friesian cows in early lactation was studied in four experiments. In each experiment there was a group of cows that were machine milked twice daily from calving. Milk production from sucked cows was greater during the suckling period than from machine-milked cows in the same period, but in no case was there any significant difference between suckling treatments. Increases in production during the 8-week suckling period ranged from 7.1 (P > 0.05) to 19.4% (P< 0.05), or from 75-21 8 kg. The extra milk produced by the cows sucked once daily went to the calves, and similar (P > 0.05) quantities or significantly less milk (P< 0.05) was produced at the alternate machine milkings compared with non-sucked cows in the same period. Regardless of suckling treatment in early lactation, the cows failed to show any carryover benefit. Lactation length and liveweight change in cows was unaffected by suckling treatment. The interval of post-partum anoestrus increased by about 6 days for each additional week of suckling. The average increase due to 8 weeks suckling in the four experiments ranged from 41-66 days. Teat damage increased with duration of twice-daily suckling, but had no effect on yields after sucking stopped. Teat damage of cows sucked once or twice daily to 8 weeks was similar. The incidence of mastitis was low in both sucked and machine-milked cows, and was not related to suckling treatment. Multiple sucking of Friesian cows in early lactation is a means of obtaining more milk from individual cows without incurring penalties in liveweight and body condition loss; it has no effect on post-weaning milk production.