Long-term associations between Merino ewes and their offspring

Hinch, G. N.; Lynch, J J; Elwin, R.L.; Green, G.C.

doi:10.1016/0168-1591(90)90009-3

Cited by 42 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Although vocalizations (auditory stimuli) were not measured in this study, Hernandez et al (2009) reported that female lambs vocalized more during separation from their dam and were faster than males in returning to their mother (tactile stimuli) after separation. These sex-specific differences may be responsible for the life-long mother-daughter bonds that are established in sheep (Hinch et al, 1990;Rowell, 1991). Although we did not find sex-related differences in nursing frequency or in the mean and maximum distance between lambs and their mothers, it is possible that differences in the frequency of auditory or other tactile stimuli may have motivated ewes with daughters to be more vigilant than ewes that were nursing male lambs.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 52%

Maternal influence on feeding site selection of male and female lambs

Wesley¹,

Cibils

Black-Rubio

et al. 2014

Animal

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We conducted an experiment to determine whether early-life social learning of feeding site selection in lambs was sex-specific. Sixteen ewes and their new born lambs were used in a controlled experiment. Eight ewe-lamb pairs included a male lamb and the remaining eight a female lamb. All pairs were individually exposed to an experimental arena containing a safe and unsafe artificial feeding site (SFS, UFS) each consisting of nine bowls which contained either ground Bermuda grass hay (SFS) or ground alfalfa hay (UFS). The bowls in UFS were surrounded by bright orange traffic cones (visual cues). Half the ewes were trained with controlled electric shock to avoid UFS. Thus, pairs were randomly assigned to: (1) shock aversion training (SAT) to mothers of male lambs (MS); (2) SAT to mothers of female lambs (FS); (3) no aversion training (NAT, control) to mothers of male lambs (MC); and (4) NAT (control) to mothers of female lambs (FC). None of the lambs were subjected to SAT. During training, testing, extinction, and retraining ewe-lamb pairs were exposed to the arena together. Ewes were then removed from the experiment and two additional extinction phases were conducted with weaned lambs alone. Fear conditioning elicited UFS avoidance of both the trained ewes (means ± s.e.m. % times observed in UFS during testing phase: FC = 95.3 ± 1.70; MC = 94.4 ± 4.87; FS = 1.6 ± 1.63; MS = 0 ± 0; P < 0.01) and their naïve lambs (FC = 83.8 ± 6.07%; MC = 76.6 ± 6.56%; FS = 30.4 ± 7.90%; MS = 33.9 ± 9.23%; P < 0.01). UFS avoidance in lambs occurred regardless of sex and tended to persist after weaning (% times observed in UFS during 1st post-weaning extinction phase: FC = 92.6 ± 4.50%; MC = 89.8 ± 6.09%; FS = 45.1 ± 10.57%; MS = 43.5 ± 10.42%; P = 0.06). Fear conditioning in mothers appeared to alter sex-related differences in mother-infant behavioral synchrony by increasing and decreasing feeding synchrony of male and female lambs, respectively (FC: r = 0.52, P < 0.01; MC: r = − 0.02, P = 0.86; FS: r = 0.14, P = 0.26; MS: r = 0.46, P < 0.01). During the extinction phase mothers of ram lambs were observed feeding more often (FC = 85.0 ± 2.33%; MC = 92.7 ± 1.45%; FS = 47.3 ± 8.81%; MS = 72 ± 5.68%; P = 0.02) and standing less often than ewes with daughters (FC = 7.3 ± 2.40%; MC = 2.7 ± 0.83%; FS = 39.3 ± 9.04%; MS = 18.0 ± 5.29%; P = 0.06). This study suggests that social conditioning at an early age could be a viable tool to induce learning of feeding site avoidance in female and male lambs alike.Keywords: feeding site selection, social learning, sex-biased learning, diet selection, sheep ImplicationsSocial learning that occurs during early-life as a consequence of mother-infant interactions has a long-lasting influence on an individual's behavioral patterns. However, we do not know whether sex-specific early life learning patterns exist. If such patterns were present, then well-known sex-related differences in spatial behaviors of grazing adult sheep could be explained by early life social learning and would underscore the importa...

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 52%

Maternal influence on feeding site selection of male and female lambs

Wesley¹,

Cibils

Black-Rubio

et al. 2014

Animal

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“…It has been reported that Caprinae ewe groups are primarily maternal groups, comprising philopatric individuals who learn the location of escape terrain and seasonal movement patterns in their home ranges from their mothers (Geist 1971;FestaBianchet 1986;Heureux et al 1995). These ewe groups may use a given geographical area at certain times of the year (Dubois et al 1992;Boyce et al 1999), often form matrilineal social groups (Greenwood 1980;Hinch et al 1990;Heureux et al 1995), and have a comparatively stable activity range, demonstrating strong fidelity (Geist 1971;Schaller 1977;Lawrence and Wood-Gush 1988). Blue sheep ewes, like other Caprinae ewes, demonstrate gregarious and philopatric behaviours and limited dispersal ability (unpublished data).…”

Section: Matrilineal Structure In the Nhmnrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mitochondrial DNA variation and matrilineal structure in blue sheep populations of Helan Mountain, China

et al. 2006

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Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (5' hypervariable region, 554 bp) sequences from 71 samples of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur Hodgson, 1833) collected from six study localities throughout Helan Mountain Nature Reserve in Ningxia province of China were investigated to analyse distribution patterns of genetic variability, elucidate matrilineal structure, and investigate population history. Haplotype diversity (h) among the 71 samples was estimated to be 0.792 ± 0.037, and nucleotide diversity (Å) was relatively low (0.00392 ± 0.00046). A 2 contingency analysis of all mtDNA haplotype frequencies revealed that these haplotypes were distributed in a nonrandom fashion among study localities ( 2 = 86.205, P = 0.092). Additional evidence of matrilineal structure was provided by the finding that a significant amount (9.02%; P < 0.01) of mtDNA variation was partitioned among different localities in the study area. We conclude that blue sheep of Helan Mountain Nature Reserve are structured spatially along matrilines. Pairwise computations of Èst and an AMOVA indicated that some sampling localities are differentiated relative to a random collection of genotypes and reflected differences in the spatial distribution of genetic variation. Isolation-by-distance (IBD) models (Mantel tests) revealed no obvious association between genetic differentiation and geographical distance. These results could be a basis for the development of suitable management strategies for conservation purposes. This work represents the first analysis of blue sheep mitochondrial control region DNA to be performed from a population genetics perspective.Résumé : Nous avons étudié les séquences des régions de contrôle de l'ADN mitochondrial (ADNmt) (région hypervariable 5') dans 71 échantillons de bharals de l'Himalaya (Pseudois nayaur Hodgson, 1833) prélevés dans six localités d'étude réparties dans toute la Réserve naturelle du mont Helan dans la province de Ning-hsia en Chine afin d'analyser les patrons de répartition de la variation génétique, déterminer la structure matrilinéaire et étudier l'histoire de la population. Nous estimons la diversité des haplotypes (h) dans les 71 échantillons à 0,792 ± 0,037 et la diversité des nucléotides (Å) à 0,00392 ± 0,00046, une valeur relativement basse. Une analyse de contingence de 2 de toutes les fréquences des haplotypes de l'ADNmt montre que ces haplotypes ne sont pas répartis de façon aléatoire dans les localités d'étude ( 2 = 86,205, P = 0,092). Une partie significative (9,02 %; P < 0,01) de la variation de l'ADNmt est répartie entre les différ-entes localités de la région d'étude, ce qui appuie aussi l'existence d'une structure matrilinéaire. Nous concluons que les populations de la Réserve naturelle du mont Helan sont structurées dans l'espace d'après des lignées maternelles. Les calculs paire par paire de È st et une AMOVA indiquent que certains points d'échantillonnage se différentient d'une collection aléatoire de génotypes, ce qui reflète les différences de répartition spatiale de la variation gé...

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“…Moreover individual distances may vary seasonally, or with the sex, phenotype and other individual characteristics of the group members (Marler, 1956;Brown and Orians, 1970;Syme et al, 1975;Walther, 1977;Hinch et al, 1990;Stolba et al, 1990).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

An experimental study of social attraction and spacing between the sexes in sheep

Michelena

Henric

Angibault

et al. 2005

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Most ungulates are gregarious species and outside the mating season are typically observed in single-sex groups. However little is known about the mechanisms underlying social segregation between sexes. We investigated the effect of conspecific attraction on individual spacing between unrestrained merino sheep Ovis aries and confined conspecifics. We considered differences between males and females and whether attractiveness of the confined conspecifics depends on their sex. A series of binary choice experiments was conducted in a large outdoor arena, located in pastures. One or two stimulus animals were placed in small individual cages (1.5·mϫ ϫ1·m) on opposite sides of the arena. Sheep were tested with one fixed peer of the same or opposite sex vs an empty cage, and with two fixed peers of either the same sex as themselves, or one male and one female. Sheep in a control condition were exposed to two empty cages. In all of the test conditions, confined sheep were highly attractive. Males were more attracted by single stimulus peers of the same than the opposite sex, whereas females did not display such a preference. Sheep confronted with two restrained conspecifics tended to remain between the stimuli. This also occurred when the stimuli were of opposite sex, although the males tended to be located nearer the same-sex peer. Our findings can explain the strong aggregative behaviour of merino sheep, but also the social segregation previously observed in a mixed-sex group through higher attraction for same-sex than opposite-sex peers in males.

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Long-term associations between Merino ewes and their offspring

Cited by 42 publications

References 4 publications

Maternal influence on feeding site selection of male and female lambs

Maternal influence on feeding site selection of male and female lambs

Mitochondrial DNA variation and matrilineal structure in blue sheep populations of Helan Mountain, China

An experimental study of social attraction and spacing between the sexes in sheep

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