EFFECTS OF RESTRICTED SUCKLING ON FORAGE INTAKE OF RANGE CALVES

Twenty two-year-old primiparous Angus X Hereford cows and their heifer calves were used to study effects of milk consumption on calf perform ance, suckling behavior, and forage intake. Ten cow-calf pairs were al lotted to each of 2 treatments on blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis [H.B. K.] Lag.) rangeland. Calues from 5 cows were prevented from suckling t he rear udder quarters for 4 weeks to reduce milk intake by 32% when c alves averaged 71 +/- 4 days of age. The other 5 calves were allowed t o suckle normally, four 12-day sampling periods were conducted from Ju ne through September. Calves from the control treatment weighed more ( P < 0.05) than restricted calves in each period and at meaning. Calves from the restricted treatment did not (P > 0.10) suckle longer or mor e frequently than control calves during any sampling period. Forage or ganic matter intake was not (P > 0.10) different between cows or calve s from either group at any date. Milk production was not different (P > 0.10) between groups 1 month after restriction periods were terminat ed. Calves on 4 week milk restriction did not increase forage organic matter intake and had decreased weaning weights compared to control an imals.