Abstract
Mortality of perinatal lambs and low weight at weaning cause huge liabilities to farmers. Current study describes maternal-filial behavior and evaluates the use of maternal behavior score (MBS) to estimate the behavior of ewes and lambs soon after birth, and correlate it with lamb mortality and performance during lactation. Thirty-seven Corriedale ewes were used in a completely randomized design. MBS was assessed up to 24 hours after birth, taking into consideration the distance of the ewe from the lamb at the approach of a person. Maternal behavior, placental weight, weight gain of the lambs until weaning and their survival rate were also evaluated until two hours after lambing. More than 90% of the ewes had adequate maternal behavior, with parental care, even though ewes were very sensitive to the presence of people. There was no significant correlation between MBS and maternal behavior, lamb mortality rate and live weight gain. Under these conditions, MBS was not a useful tool to estimate maternal behavior and performance of lambs.
Highlights
Since the maternal behavior of pregnant and lactating ewes may be linked to mortality of lambs, experience and temperament should be taken into consideration in the management of sheep flocks (Rech et al, 2008; Corner et al, 2013)
Ewe behavior before, during and after lambing has great influence on lamb survival (Grandinson, 2005; Ceyhan, Sezenler, Yüksel, & Yıldırır, 2012; Hinch & O’Brien, 2014) due to the fact that the ability of a lamb to survive until weaning is largely determined
Ewe identification, lambing time, type of lambing, positioning of the ewe in relation to flock, placenta weight and behavior to lamb were recorded: whether the ewe licked and smelled the lamb(s); whether it facilitated the ingestion of colostrum and vocalized in the direction of the lamb
Summary
Since the maternal behavior of pregnant and lactating ewes may be linked to mortality of lambs, experience and temperament should be taken into consideration in the management of sheep flocks (Rech et al, 2008; Corner et al, 2013). Several factors may influence maternal behavior (Hernandez, Matthews, Oliver, Bloomfield, & Harding, 2009; Corner et al, 2010), such as previous experience, breed, ewe body condition score, nutritional state, production system and other factors. Pickup and Dwyer (2011) reported difference in maternal behavior soon after lambing and during lactation between different ewe breeds, Suffolk and Blackface, in which the former showed poorer maternal ability. According to Grandinson (2005), under extensive production system and with little human supervision, sheep maternal care is more important, and, the female environment and nutrition are essential for the survival and growth of progeny (Hernandez, Matthews, Oliver, Bloomfield, & Harding, 2010; Hild, Andersen, and Zanella, 2010). Evaluation of the maternal ability may be an important tool to improve the sheep production system
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