Behavioural relationships between Djallonke and Sahellian ewes and their lambs during the first 24 h post-partum

Abstract

Djallonke, Sahellian crossbred ewes and their lambs were tested to find out their behavioural response to separation and their mutual recognition within the first 24 h post-partum. To determine whether age, sex, and birth weight of lambs and parity of dams had an effect on these post-partum behaviours, chi-square procedure was used to compare the scores of the different groups of lambs and ewes. The age, sex and birth weight of lambs did not affect their behavioural response to separation from their dams. Primiparous ewes exhibited a significantly greater concern to separation from their lambs than multiparous ewes ( P<0.05). This was presumably because the multiparous ewes might have experienced temporary separation from their lambs before in previous lambings. In the case of the primiparous ewes, this was their first experience and the situation was therefore more stressful. Even though there were no statistically significant differences ( P>0.05) between 12 h, 18 h and 24 h old lambs in their ability to recognize their dams, there was a trend of increasing ability of lambs to make more correct choices as they grew older. Nineteen out of 41 (46%) lambs tested were able to recognize their dams. The sex of the lamb and the parity of ewe had no significant effect ( P>0.05) on the mutual recognition of lambs and their dams. There was also no significant difference between lighter and heavier lambs in their dam recognition ability at 12 h of age.