Behaviour of ewes at parturition toward amniotic fluids from sheep, cows and goats

Abstract

The reaction of ewes to food treated with amniotic fluid (AF) from other ewes, cows and goats, vs. untreated food (control) was tested around the time of parturition (from 24 h before until 4 h after parturition). Nine ewes were tested with both bovine and ovine AF and 12 additional ewes were tested with both caprine and ovine AF. Results confirm our previous study showing a repulsion in response to ovine AF before lambing, and an attraction toward this fluid at parturition that continues for at least 4 h. Ewes also appeared to be strongly repelled by bovine AF at all times as they never ate from the trough containing that fluid. Prior to parturition, ewes were also repelled by caprine AF: only two out of 12 females ate food damped with AF. This repulsion disappeared at parturition: nine out of 12 females ate from the AF trough. However, ewes spent more time consuming food mixed with ovine than with caprine AF ( P = 0.01), indicating that they were more attracted to the former substance. Interest for caprine AF decreased 4 h after parturition, with only three out of 11 ewes feeding from the AF trough. The implications of the results for the possibility of fostering between species of ungulates were discussed.