9. Maternal Neonatal Play Behaviour - M2

Question 1

Fetal environment

Answer 1

• Precocial neonates (foals, calves, lambs and piglets) have already been exposed to sensory stimulation prior to birth
• The ear of the fetal ungulate is completely formed and functional before birth

Question 2

Fetal action patterns

Answer 2

When gross fetal activity occurs, it is the result of groups of complex fetal movements quickly following one another
- Therefore, the suck reflex does not first come into existence for the first time after birth

Question 3

Periods of extremely intense fetal activity will be followed by what?

Answer 3

Extended periods of “quiet”

Question 4

What are the principal components of righting behaviour (~1-2d before birth)?

Answer 4

• General activity, extension of the carpal joints and digits toward the maternal pelvis, elevation of the head and neck, rotation of the head toward the maternal pelvis, rotation of the trunk, attainment of a position of pronation
• May involve 3500 movements and is often followed by fetal “quiet”
• If any movement is missed, an abnormal birth presentation results

Question 5

What are the 3 definite stages of parturition?

Answer 5

Stage 1: dilation of the cervix (part of latter pre-partum period)…“labour”

Stage 2: expulsion/birth of the fetus

Stage 3: passage of after birth or fetal membranes (extends into post-partum period)

Question 6

Pre-partum behaviour (aka late gestion to the first part of labour)

Answer 6

Generally little significance in the animal’s behaviour until the onset of parturition itself is very close
- Then, the animal will often separate itself from the main group and select a site for the birth
- maintain a lying posture at rest before the birth

Question 7

What are the 2 biological advantages of parturition in isolation?

Answer 7

1. The risk of interference by other females that are in the pre-parturient state is reduced
2. The best opportunity for developing a close mother-offspring bond is provided

Question 8

Why are farrowing crates used for sows?

Answer 8

Pre-parturient behaviour includes restlessness, with the sow frequently altering her position (either side to side when lying down, or from lying to standing)
- Activity gradually increases until the sow changes position every few minutes
- Intermittent grunting, champing of the jaws and increased respiration rate are prominent features
- May engage in phantom nest building behaviour

Question 9

What are several indicative behaviour features that emerge 24hr before parturition?

Answer 9

1. Animal becomes restless and frequently changes its position (disposition may also change)
   - May accompany flank licking and tail swishing in beef cows
   - Dairy cows may avoid social exchanges of butting and being butted 6 wks prior
2. May show interest in recently born young of other females
   - Early onset of maternal behaviour (especially in ewes)

Question 10

What are 3 behaviour features of dairy cows that begin to emerge before parturition?

Answer 10

1. Avoid social exchanges of butting and being butted 6 wks prior; may be due to being less again and less able to sustain social rank through agnostic behaviour
2. Will tend to eat and drink when few other cows are around
3. Stays on the periphery of the herd when grazing and lying

Question 11

Timing of parturition

Answer 11

1. Higher incidence of births occur at night
2. Parturient synchronization points to a form of maternal protection, which may be either conscious or unconscious
   - Foaling int he early summer when nutrition is at its height

Question 12

What is ‘birth’?

Answer 12

The period of fetus expulsion

Question 13

When is pain behaviour most evident?

Answer 13

During birth

Question 14

During birth, contractions are…

Answer 14

Strong and frequent
- Fetus is expelled with a combination of voluntary and involuntary muscular contractions in the abdomen and uterus
- Repeated abdominal straining is the principal feature of maternal behaviour at birth (with intervals of rest)
- Straining increases in number and recurs more regularly when the second stage begins

Question 15

What is the third stage of labour? What happens?

Answer 15

Immediate post-partum period is the third stage of labour
- Expulsion of the placenta (fairly effortlessly in the first hrs after birth) and grooming of the neonate
- Many cows and sows will eat the afterbirth (placentophagia); relates to whether the species keeps their young near the birth site

Question 16

Typical post-partum behaviour of cows

Answer 16

• Licks uterine discharge before birth is complete
• Will rest briefly after calving, then rises and licks the fetal membranes and fluids from the calf
• Usually eats the placenta and sometimes the dirty bedding

Question 17

Typical post-partum behaviour of sows

Answer 17

• Eats all or part of the afterbirth
• Calls to her little to suckle using short grunts or loud barding grunts (if intruder present)
• Rarely licks or grooms young
• Need to watch a “nervous sow” closely for savaging, cannibalism or piglet crushing

Question 18

Maternal behaviour is related to the neonatal characteristics of…

Answer 18

Staying near the nest area or not
1. HIDERS (nest species)
- pigs
- minimizes predation of the neonates, especially if a species is altricial

2. FOLLOWERS (non-nest species)
   - horses

Question 19

When does the mother-offspring bond develop?

Answer 19

During the SENSITIVE PERIOD following birth (persists for several hrs)
- often in isolation
- aided by hormones (oxytocin)
- takes place quickly and efficiently
- mother will defend young vigorously after bond has been established

Question 20

What happens if the mother and offspring are not allowed to bond or the sensitive period is “broken”?

Answer 20

Dam will reject her young

Question 21

How is grooming (a maternal behaviour) initiated?

Answer 21

• Influenced by prolactin
• Dried saliva imparts a pheromone on the offspring
• Obtains info on auditory, olfactory, visual and gustatory cues of young

Question 22

How is teat-seeking intiated?

Answer 22

• Dam stands stationary (inactive) adjacent to the young, allowing them to explore
• Dam (ewes, cows, mares) will re-orient herself to help the young find the teat
• Sows will lay in lateral recumbancy

Question 23

If dams do not bond, what happens to maternal motivation?

Answer 23

It terminates quickly

Question 24

What are 3 ways in which cross-fostering can be facilitated?

Answer 24

*ALL of these are about scent transfer!

1. Masking odour (grafting: slime or wet)
2. Re-stretching the cervix and vaginal canal
   - tricking ewe into thinking she lambed again
3. Restraining the dam and offspring
   - sometimes tranquilizing the dam
   - lamb ends up suckling and gustatory cues take over

Question 25

What are the 2 types of grafting that can be used to cross-foster sheep?

Answer 25

1. Slime grafting
   - take amnionic fluids of dead/single lamb and put it onto foster lamb
2. Wet grafting
   - saline solution; dip her own lamb in the solution to transfer scent, then dip a new lamb in the same solution

Question 26

What is the milk ejection reflex manifested by?

Answer 26

A sudden rise in milk pressure after stimulation
- Udder (and teat) stimulation triggers the entire reflex path (a neuroendocrine arc) to the posterior pituitary, and oxytocin is released
- Requires vigorous nosing of the udder by the young and time for oxytocin to circulate
- May also be triggered by smells, sounds and visual cues (via classical conditioning)

Question 27

What is the milk ejection reflex prevented by?

Answer 27

Factors leading to a release in adrenaline
- so if mom is stressed, the milk letdown reflex will not occur

Question 27

What does nursing refer to?

Answer 27

Nursing refers to the action of the dam
- Dam usually adopts an open upright stance (if one offspring) or a recumbent position (if litter-bearing)

Question 28

What does suckling refer to?

Answer 28

Suckling refers to the action of the young
- Young remain stationary, rapidly gulping the milk released as a result of the rise in milk pressure

Question 29

Behaviour of the neonate

Answer 29

1. Upon birth
   - lies in extension, raises head and neck, flexes forelegs, completed rotation and lies on sternum, may shake head
2. Attempts to rise
   - series of movements typical for rising in that species
3. Once upright and steady
   - exploration towards the dam through nosing
   - once a teat-like protrusion is encountered, grasping and sucking occur

Question 30

How long will teat seeking occur before waning?

Answer 30

Teat seeking will occur for 1-2 hrs in the absence of a reward, then wane. If successful, teat seeking is reinforced and learning occurs

Question 31

Behavioural aspects of weaning

Answer 31

Associated with temporary but acute stress and changes in behavioural orientations
- In nature, the process happens gradually
- Occurs rapidly in intensive systems

Question 32

What are the 5 key features of play?

Answer 32

1. Not fully functional; contains elements ‘that do not contribute to current survival’
2. Is self-rewarding (for its own sake rather than to achieve a goal)
3. Differs in structure or timing from its adult or ‘serious’ form
4. performed repeatedly but not stereotypically
5. Is expressed when the animal is in a ‘relaxed field’

Question 32

How does weaning occur in intensive systems?

Answer 32

Occurs rapidly
- eg. 3-4 weeks in piglets; earlier results in abnormal behavioural vices to develop (eg. belly nosing)
- Distress signs usually include increased vocalizations, HR
- Temporarily hinders growth of the young, disturbs resting pattern

Question 33

What are 5 benefits of play?

Answer 33

1. Develops physical strength, endurance and skills
2. Promotes and regulates developmental rates
3. Develops cognitive skills necessary for behavioural adaptability, flexibility, inventiveness or versatility
4. A set of behavioural tactics used in intra-specific competition
5. Establishes or strengthens social bonds in a pair or social cohesion in a group

Question 34

Broadly, what does play behaviour allow young animals to learn?

Answer 34

A variety of skills in order to survive in the wild
- Social animals have a more complex array of skills to learn

Question 35

What 3 things does play behaviour include?

Answer 35

1. Chasing, manipulating objects, fighting without injury, chasing, advancing and retreating without contact, and acrobatics
   - can include elements of sexual behaviour
2. Occurs in healthy young animals
   - lack of may indicate animal is sick
3. Emotions of anger and fear are absent in play