Litter size manipulations do not alter maternal behaviour traits in selected lines of rats

1981 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 1267-1269 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Fuemm ◽  
P. Driscoll
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Selected Lines

Abnormal maternal behaviour in mice previously immunized against progesterone

1992 ◽  
Vol 134 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.-W. Wang ◽  
R. B. Heap ◽  
M. J. Taussig
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Passive Immunization ◽  
Active Immunization ◽  
Antibody Concentration ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Aberrant Behaviour ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Nursing Mothers ◽  
Maternal Responses ◽  
Protein Bovine Serum Albumin

ABSTRACT Anti-progesterone immunization leads to reversible infertility in mice; this can be achieved by passive immunization with a monoclonal antibody to progesterone (DB3), or by active immunization with either a progesterone–protein (bovine serum albumin; BSA) conjugate or anti-idiotype directed against DB3. Recovery of fertility in treated females varied from 39·5 to 75·5 median days after passive or active (progesterone–BSA) immunization respectively. Litter size after the first pregnancy also differed from 8·6 ±0·8 to 5·0 ±0·6 (mean ± s.e.m.) per mother after passive or active immunization respectively. When litter size was standardized to a maximum of four pups per litter, aberrant maternal responses were observed in the first 5 days after delivery in 40–70% of the nursing mothers. These responses took the forms of cannibalism and failure to retrieve or to nurse pups and resulted in a high incidence of pup rejection (up to 40%), compared with no rejection in control mothers. When mothers were allowed to keep entire litters, an even higher incidence of pup rejection occurred (51% compared with 8% in controls). There was an apparent relation between the degree of negative maternal behaviour and the progesterone antibody concentration in the circulation during the infertile period. Whereas aberrant behaviour occurred mainly within the first 5 days of lactation, it was significantly reduced thereafter. Aberrant behaviour of the mother towards pups may be a consequence of the presence of residual progesterone antibodies in the circulation which affects the process of progesterone withdrawal at parturition that is essential for the establishment of normal maternal responses to the neonate. Journal of Endocrinology (1992) 134, 257–267

Effects of parity and litter size on maternal behaviour in Kivircik ewes

2007 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-88
Author(s):  
Bulent Ekiz ◽  
Omur Kocak ◽  
Mustafa Ozcan ◽  
Alper Yilmaz
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Maternal Behaviour

scholarly journals Does Nursing Behaviour of Sows in Loose-Housing Pens Differ from That of Sows in Farrowing Pens with Crates?

Animals ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
Dierck-Hinrich Wiechers ◽  
Swetlana Herbrandt ◽  
Nicole Kemper ◽  
Michaela Fels
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Natural Behaviour ◽  
Two Systems

Sows confined to farrowing crates are restricted in performing natural behaviour such as maternal behaviour. Loose-housing farrowing pens (LH) and farrowing pens with crates (FC) were compared regarding sows’ nursing behaviour via video analyses over four weeks per batch (one day per week). Nursing frequency was similar in LH and FC pens (1.25 ± 0.82 vs. 1.19 ± 0.75 nursings/sow/hour; p > 0.05). However, nursing duration differed between the two systems (LH: 5.7 ± 4.6 min vs. FC: 7.0 ± 5.0 min; odds ratio (OR) 1.168, p = 0.011). In LH pens, more nursing bouts were sow-terminated than in FC pens (OR 0.427, p = 0.001). The probability of sow-terminated nursing occurring increased from week 1 to week 4 (OR 3.479, adjusted p (padj) < 0.001), while that of observing unnursed piglets decreased from week 1 to week 4 (OR 0.301, padj < 0.001) and rose with increasing litter size (OR 1.174, p = 0.010). We conclude that nursing behaviour was affected by the farrowing system, with shorter nursing duration and more nursing terminations by the sow in LH than in FC pens. Since this corresponds to the nursing behaviour of sows in semi-natural conditions, it can be assumed that sows in LH pens are more likely to exhibit natural nursing behaviour.

scholarly journals A genomewide association study in divergently selected lines in rabbits reveals novel genomic regions associated with litter size traits

2019 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bolívar Samuel Sosa‐Madrid ◽  
María Antonia Santacreu ◽  
Agustín Blasco ◽  
Luca Fontanesi ◽  
Romi Natacha Pena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Association Study ◽  
Litter Size ◽  
Genomewide Association Study ◽  
Selected Lines ◽  
Genomewide Association ◽  
Genomic Regions

Influence of litter size and parity on maternal behaviour at parturition in Scottish Blackface sheep

1992 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.E. O'Connor ◽  
A.B. Lawrence ◽  
D.G.M. Wood-Gush
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Maternal Behaviour

CORRELATED RESPONSES TO SELECTION FOR POSTWEANING GAIN IN THE RAT

Genetics ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-203
Author(s):  
R L Baker ◽  
A B Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Marked Decrease ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
Correlated Responses ◽  
Selected Lines ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Control Growth ◽  
Lactational Performance ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Size At Birth

ABSTRACT Evidence for correlated responses to selection was investigated in lines of rats selected for 13 generations for high (U line) and low (D line) 3–9-week gain in comparison with random-bred control lines (R and C lines). The increase in 3–9-week gain in the U lines was shown to be due largely to an increase in 9-week weight, although 3-week weight also increased in these lines. In the D lines, where a marked decrease in 3–9-week gain was observed, this was found to be due to a large decrease in 9-week weight and no detectable change in 3-week weight. The average 2-week litter weight, a measure of the lactational performance of the dam, was significantly greater in the U lines than in the D lines. Selection for 3–9-week gain in these lines of rats led to changes of litter size at birth in the same direction as that of selection. This resulted in a significantly higher litter size in the U lines than in the D lines. The number of rats alive at 2 and 9 weeks of age and the percentage of mated females pupping were similar in the U and D lines but lower in these lines than the random bred C lines, providing evidence for a reduction of "fitness" in the selected lines. Carcass composition was studied for all lines at the 11th generation of selection. Carcass composition, in terms of water, fat, ash and protein, was similar in the R and C lines. The U lines had more water and less fat than the R or C line. The D lines had similar carcass composition to the R and C lines. It is suggested that these selected and random-bred lines of rats are potentially useful animals to investigate further the developmental and physiological mechanisms which control growth.

Ewe and lamb behaviour at parturition in prolific and non-prolific sheep

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Fahmy ◽  
S. Robert
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Litter Size ◽  
Contact Time ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Litter Weight ◽  
Foetal Membranes ◽  
Ewe Lamb

This study was conducted to investigate ewe and lamb behaviour at parturition in prolific and non-prolific sheep. Observations were taken on 16 Romanov (R), 16 Finnsheep (F) and 13 Suffolk (S) ewes at their first and second parturitions. Time intervals between displaying first signs of uneasiness and first contraction, rupture of foetal membranes bag and first contraction, sighting the first lamb and expulsion of the last lamb, and contact time between ewes and their litters were assessed and correlated with litter size, and litter weight at birth and at weaning. Romanov ewes had the largest litters (3.02), took longer to deliver (120.7 min), and interacted more with their lambs (30.9 min) after lambing. F and S ewes were similar in many behavioural traits despite significant differences in number and weight of lambs delivered. Prolific R and F ewes lambing single and twin lambs delivered them faster than S ewes with similar litter sizes. Duration of lambing was significantly correlated with ewe–lamb contact but only for the two prolific breeds (r = 0.51 and 0.76 for R and F, respectively). Ewe-lamb contact was also correlated with litter size (r = 0.83), litter weight at birth (r = 0.72) and at weaning (r = 0.47) but only in F ewes. For R, F, and S ewes lambing litters of one and two lambs, the average intervals between first sight of a lamb and its expulsion were 9.2, 20.8, and 25.8 min, the intervals between expulsion and standing were 37.0, 18.6, and 19.6 min, and between standing and suckling, 24.2,20.4, and 27.2 min per lamb, respectively. The average contact time between a ewe and each of her lambs was 13.1, 8.8, and 11.0 min, respectively. The corresponding intervals for R and F ewes lambing up to four lambs were 10.3 and 11.1, 43.3 and 21.4, 35.7 and 25.6, and 8.8 and 7.8 min (P > 0.05) per lamb, respectively. The data showed several differences between prolific and non-prolific sheep in behavioural traits at birth. Key words: Maternal behaviour: Lamb behaviour, Romanov, Finnsheep, Prolific sheep

Pituitary and ovarian response to transient doe-litter separation in nursing rabbits

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 361-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Ubilla ◽  
PG Rebollar ◽  
D Pazo ◽  
AI Esquifino ◽  
JM Alvarino
Keyword(s):  
Pituitary Gland ◽  
Litter Size ◽  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Ovarian Response ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Free Access ◽  
Plasma Prolactin ◽  
Follicular Waves ◽  
Higher Sensitivity

The effects of a transient doe-litter separation on plasma prolactin, FSH and oestradiol concentrations, as well as the effect on LH response to exogenous GnRH administered at the time of artificial insemination, were determined in nursing rabbits. The effects on fertility, and litter size after parturition, as well as litter survival after doe-litter separation, were also studied. Control does (n = 12) had free access to nursing, whereas biostimulated does (n = 12) were separated from their litters for 48 h before artificial insemination. Plasma prolactin concentrations were decreased 24 h after the doe-litter separation (P < 0.05). The response of prolactin to suckling reached 10 times the basal values measured on day 10 after parturition (P < 0.0001). Increased oestradiol concentrations were found during the 48 h after the doe-litter separation: at 0 h, before artificial insemination (P< 0. 0001), 1.0-2.0 h after artificial insemination (P < 0.001), at 2.5 h (P < 0.05), 3.0 h (P < 0.01), and at 3.5 h (P < 0.05) after artificial insemination. Exogenous GnRH administered at the time of artificial insemination caused a greater LH response in does previously separated from their litters during 48 h (P < 0.01). The transient doe-litter separation did not affect plasma FSH concentrations, fertility, litter size or litter survival. These results suggest that a transient separation of nursing does from their litters before artificial insemination results in a decrease in plasma prolactin concentrations that could promote growth of follicular waves, and high steroidogenesis activity, leading to increased oestradiol concentrations and inducing higher sensitivity of the pituitary gland to exogenous GnRH. These findings associated to the absence of suckling episodes would lead to higher LH response and, therefore, exert a major effect on fertility.

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