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The effects of pasture availability for twin- and triplet-bearing ewes in mid and late pregnancy on ewe and lamb behaviour 12 to 24 h after birth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2009

R. A. Corner ,
P. R. Kenyon ,
K. J. Stafford ,
D. M. West ,
S. T. Morris  and
M. H. Oliver
R. A. Corner*
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
P. R. Kenyon
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand Sheep Research Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
K. J. Stafford
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand National Research Centre for Growth and Development, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand Sheep Research Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
D. M. West
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand Sheep Research Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
S. T. Morris
Affiliation:
Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand Sheep Research Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
M. H. Oliver
Affiliation:
National Research Centre for Growth and Development, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand
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Abstract

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of offering ewes two different feeding levels, during mid and late pregnancy, on ewe and lamb behaviour 12 to 24 h after birth. Romney ewes, bearing twin (n = 80) or triplet foetuses (n = 56), were allocated to a pasture sward height of 2 or 4 cm between 70 and 107 days of pregnancy. In late pregnancy (day 107 to 147), half of the ewes were reallocated the alternate sward height, which produced four treatments: 2-2, 2-4, 4-2 and 4-4. Ewes were weighed on days 65, 92, 107 and 130 of pregnancy and lamb live weights were recorded 12 to 24 h after birth. Twelve to 24 h after birth the maternal behaviour score (MBS) of the ewes were determined, whilst their lambs were tagged. After the lambs were released, the behaviour of each ewe and her lambs was observed for 5 min. Ewe treatment and litter size had no effect on ewe MBS. However, as MBS increased (ewes stayed closer to lambs during tagging), ewes bleated less in a high-pitch and were quicker to make contact with their lamb. During the observation period, ewes in the 4-4 treatment had a greater percentage of their bleats in a low pitch (P < 0.05) than ewes in the 2-2 and 4-2 treatment (61.3% v. 41.3% and 38.8% low bleats, respectively) and more lambs born to 4-4 ewes (95%) bleated than lambs born to 2-2 ewes (84%; P < 0.05). However, lambs born to ewes in the 2-2 treatment bleated earlier than lambs in all other treatments (P < 0.05). Lambs born to 4-4 ewes were less likely (P < 0.05) to move towards their dam in order to make contact than lambs born to 2-2 or 4-2 ewes (3.1% v. 16.9% and 16.7%, respectively). These findings suggest that under the conditions of the present study, ewe nutrition had little effect on maternal behaviour. However, lambs born to ewes offered 2 cm pasture sward heights during mid and/or late pregnancy (2-2, 2-4 and 4-2 treatments) displayed behaviour that demonstrated greater ‘need’ whereas lambs born to ewes offered 4 cm during mid and late pregnancy sought less attention from their dam.

Keywords

maternal behaviour scoreshigh- and low-pitched bleatssward height
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , January 2010 , pp. 108 - 115
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2009

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