Challenge by a novel object does not impair the capacity of ewes and lambs selected for a nervous temperament to display early preference for each other
Samantha Bickell A , Raymond Nowak B C D E , Pascal Poindron B C D E , Aprille Chadwick A , Drewe Ferguson F and Dominique Blache A G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Animal Biology – M085, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
B INRA, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France.
C CNRS, UMR6175 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France.
D Université François Rabelais de Tours, F-37041 Tours, France.
E Haras Nationaux, F-37380 Nouzilly, France.
F Livestock Welfare, CSIRO Livestock Industries, Locked Bag 1, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
G Corresponding author. Email: dbla@animals.uwa.edu.au
Animal Production Science 51(6) 575-581 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11009
Submitted: 19 January 2011 Accepted: 8 March 2011 Published: 30 May 2011
Abstract
Novelty, a powerful fear-inducing and stressful stimulus, could be detrimental on the capacity of ewes and lambs to recognise each other. The effect of a novel object on the ability of ewes and lambs, selected for their calm or nervous temperament, to show a preference for each other was tested in a two-choice discrimination test. Both calm and nervous temperament mothers showed a preference towards their own offspring rather than the alien lambs. Nervous temperament ewes also looked at their own lamb more than the alien. In contrast, nervous lambs showed a greater preference and took less time to reach their own mother than calm lambs. Nervous temperament does not seem to impair the capacity of ewes and lambs to display an early preference for each other, and might be an advantage in some challenging postnatal situations because of the increased motivation of nervous lambs to reunite with their mother.
Additional keywords: fear, reactivity, recognition, sheep.
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