Vocalisations between mother and young in sheep: effects of breed and maternal experience

Dwyer, CM; McLean, KA; Deans, LA; Chirnside, J.; Calvert, SK; Lawrence, Alistair B.

doi:10.1016/s0168-1591(97)00113-5

Cited by 85 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…However, the frequency of low-pitched bleats did not differ between the two lines. Low-pitched bleats are used for communication between a ewe and her lamb at a short distance (Shillito, 1972), whereas high-pitched bleats can indicate signs of distress (Kiley, 1972;Dwyer et al, 1998). Therefore, the lack of difference in low-pitched bleat frequencies emitted by calm and nervous mothers could indicate that the maternal behaviour did not differ between the two lines.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, the higher vocal activity of nervous mothers is probably a general reflection of their nervous temperament rather than some specific difference of maternal behaviour with calm ewes. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that even high-pitched bleats are part of the normal repertoire of postparturient ewes and that vocal communication, both through low-and high-pitched bleats, is beneficial for the mother-young bond (Sè be et al, 2007 and2009) and that emission of high-pitched bleats tends to increase after parturition (Dwyer et al, 1998). Therefore, the difference in vocal activity encountered here between the two temperament lines of mothers is unlikely to contribute to the poorer lamb survival found in nervous ewes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Maternal behaviour and peripartum levels of oestradiol and progesterone show little difference in Merino ewes selected for calm or nervous temperament under indoor housing conditions

Bickell

Poindron

Nowak

et al. 2011

Animal

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Temperament influences the expression of maternal behaviour in sheep under experimental field conditions. We investigated whether maternal behaviour between ewes selected for a calm or nervous temperament is independent from environmental conditions. In addition, the level of maternal behaviour expressed by mothers is correlated with the concentration of hormones during the peripartum period. Therefore, we investigated whether the selection for temperament had resulted in hormonal differences between the two lines with regard to the hormones that could be involved in the onset of maternal behaviour. Oestradiol, progesterone and cortisol concentrations from 4 days before parturition to 24 h after parturition were determined from blood samples collected from 10 calm and 12 nervous ewes. Behavioural interactions between ewe and lamb were also recorded for 2 h starting at parturition. Mothers of both temperament lines showed adequate maternal behaviour under the controlled conditions of the study. Therefore, the results of the study do not suggest that selection for a calm or nervous temperament has profoundly affected the intrinsic ability of mothers to display adequate maternal behaviour. Hormonal differences between the two temperament lines were generally small and their possible influence on the display of maternal behaviour in the two temperament lines would have to be demonstrated. Keywords: ewe, temperament, maternal behaviour, hormones ImplicationsLamb survival is affected by the selection of the mother on the basis of temperament and temperament influences the expression of maternal behaviour in sheep under experimental field conditions. This study investigated whether the selection on the basis of temperament had resulted in hormonal differences between the two temperament lines with regard to the hormones that were required for the onset of maternal behaviour. We found that the hormonal differences between the two temperament lines were generally small and thus the results of this study do not suggest that the selection for a calm or nervous temperament has profoundly affected the intrinsic ability of mothers to display adequate maternal behaviour under indoor housing conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal behaviour and peripartum levels of oestradiol and progesterone show little difference in Merino ewes selected for calm or nervous temperament under indoor housing conditions

Bickell

Poindron

Nowak

et al. 2011

Animal

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“…Allonursing seems to be a survival strategy that on one hand allows for a more standardised growth of all individuals within the herd, even in cases of maternal death or lack of sufficient milk, and on the other it allows for greater social interaction between the members of the herd (Dwyer et al 1998;Ekvall 1998). The latter factor could be important in intensive deer farming since the identification of a given fawn's dam and its maternal ability (milking and nursing) would be difficult to measure.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nursing and feeding behaviour of confined red deer(cervus elaphus scoticus)in the Mexican highlands∗

Vásquez

Olvera

Siqueiros

et al. 2004

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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Red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus) hinds were confined before parturition in 20 × 30 m earth-floored pens and offered freshly cut legumegrass mixed pasture (Experiment 1) or lucerne hay (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, four hinds were placed in a single pen; all parturitions took place within 24 h. Animals were monitored by a single observer for 24-h periods twice weekly for 10 weeks. Number of daily suckling episodes increased with age while their duration decreased. Consumption of forage started around the fourth week and, by weaning, calves had spent an average of 105.5 min eating forage and 44.2 min ruminating daily, compared with hinds, which consumed forage for 6.05 h and ruminated for 1.77 h per day. In Experiment 2, 24 hinds and their calves were confined in four pens for 12 weeks. Four observers each monitored the activities of a randomly chosen calf from 0800 to 1330 h and from 1430 to 2000 h. Activities were analysed as proportions of total activity using linear and quadratic regressions. Time spent suckling increased until Day 26 (110 seconds, in a total of three bouts), decreasing to 13 seconds (in a total of eight bouts) by Day 73. Most of the hinds (70%) allonursed (nursing a calf other than its own), some as soon as 2 days post-partum. Forage consumption by the calves decreased from 37.1 s at 8 days to 12.6 and 17.1 s at 59 and 73 days, respectively. The regression equation for time spent suckling (proportion of total activity) against calf age (days) showed a quadratic effect: y = 0.76 -0.026 day + 0.00023 day 2 (R 2 = 0.797), whilst time spent eating forage showed an opposite quadratic trend: y = -0.17 + 0.28 day -0.0002 day 2 (R 2 = 0.761).

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“…Because ewes take longer to lick multiple-born lambs dry, these are predisposed to hypothermia in adverse conditions. While grooming, the dam emits frequent low-pitched bleats or rumbling noises with the mouth closed, and occasional high-pitched openmouth bleats [51,52]. Low-pitched maternal bleats are emitted almost exclusively in the presence of the lamb and like licking, decline over time.…”

Section: Grooming the Lambmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lambs also respond to the smell of amniotic fluids and inguinal wax with head movements, oral activity, exploration, and increased breathing and heart rates [65,66]. Most lambs begin to suckle within the first two hours of delivery, however, significant differences between breeds in the early behaviour of lambs have been reported [51,[67][68][69]. Birth weight, gender and litter size may also influence the time lambs take to stand and find the teat.…”

Section: Finding the Teatmentioning

confidence: 99%

From birth to colostrum: early steps leading to lamb survival

2006

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-New-born lambs have limited energy reserves and need a rapid access to colostrum to maintain homeothermy and survive. In addition to energy, colostrum provides immunoglobulins which ensure passive systemic immunity. Therefore, getting early access to the udder is essential for the neonate. The results from the literature reviewed here highlight the importance of the birth site as the location where the mutual bonding between the mother and her young takes place. Attraction to birth fluids by the periparturient ewe leads to intense licking of the lamb. Grooming not only dries, cleans and stimulates the newborn it also facilitates bonding through learning of its individual odour. Ewes having twins should ideally stay on the birth site for at least six hours in order to establish a strong bond with both lambs and favour lambs survival. However, primiparous ewes or ewes having high levels of emotivity are more likely to exhibit poor maternal behaviour. In addition, difficult parturition and weather conditions have an indirect effect on the behaviour of the mother and are other major causes of lamb death. On the lamb's side, rapid access to the udder and early suckling are extremely important. Delayed lactation or insufficient colostrum yield may be fatal especially since suckling has strong rewarding properties in the establishment of a preference for the mother, which in turn increases lamb survival. Insufficient access to the udder in mothers leaving the birth site too soon after parturition, especially in twin-bearing ewes, could also partly account for the high incidence of loss of mother-young contact and subsequent death in such lambs. Strategies to improve neonatal survival should be aimed at maximising lamb vigour, colostrum production, and mutual mother-young bonding through adequate feeding in late pregnancy and selection on behaviour.energy reserve / colostrums / suckling / maternal behaviour / bonding / ewe / lamb / nutrition / survival

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Vocalisations between mother and young in sheep: effects of breed and maternal experience

Cited by 85 publications

References 43 publications

Maternal behaviour and peripartum levels of oestradiol and progesterone show little difference in Merino ewes selected for calm or nervous temperament under indoor housing conditions

Maternal behaviour and peripartum levels of oestradiol and progesterone show little difference in Merino ewes selected for calm or nervous temperament under indoor housing conditions

Nursing and feeding behaviour of confined red deer(cervus elaphus scoticus)in the Mexican highlands∗

From birth to colostrum: early steps leading to lamb survival

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