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.

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

Maternal behaviour in the rabbit under semi-natural conditions

1963 ◽  
Vol 11 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 283-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherman Ross ◽  
M.X. Zarrow ◽  
Paul B. Sawin ◽  
V.H. Denenberg ◽  
Michael Blumenfield
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Natural Conditions

MATERNAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE LESSER BUSHBABY (GALAGO SENEGALENSIS MOHOLI) UNDER SEMI-NATURAL CONDITIONS

1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.A. Doyle ◽  
Annette Andersson ◽  
S.K. Bearder
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Galago Senegalensis

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

Poids des nouveau-nés et reproduction de Vipera aspis (Reptilia: Viperidae), dans des conditions naturelles et artificielles

1981 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Naulleau ◽  
Hubert Saint Girons
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Small Extent ◽  
The Other ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Rearing Conditions ◽  
Vipera Aspis

AbstractWe studied 36 pregnant females and 70 litters of Vipera aspis. Vipers were either recently caught, living in outdoor terrariums (semi-natural conditions), or living in the laboratory (artificial conditions). Following results were obtained: 1. There were significant correlations between the number of eggs and the weight of the litter and between the length and weight of the females. 2. The weight of hatchings does not depend, or only to a small extent, on the length or on the weight of the female, but is negatively correlated with the number of eggs. Hatching weight is generally higher in semi-natural and artificial conditions than in natural conditions. On the other hand, litter size was independent of the rearing conditions. 3. The weight of a litter at birth represents an average of 44 and 47% of the female's weight, respectively in natural and semi-natural conditions, where vipers breed generally once every two years; and only 34% in artificial conditions, where females breed once or twice a year. In all cases, this proportion is independent of the female's weight.

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

Nonhuman sequence learning findings argue against Hoerl and McCormack's two systems of temporal cognition

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. De Corte ◽  
Edward A. Wasserman
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Ordinal Position ◽  
Temporal Cognition ◽  
Two Systems

Abstract Hoerl & McCormack propose that animals learn sequences through an entrainment-like process, rather than tracking the temporal addresses of each event in a given sequence. However, past research suggests that animals form “temporal maps” of sequential events and also comprehend the concept of ordinal position. These findings suggest that a clarification or qualification of the authors’ hypothesis is needed.

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