Lecture 15

Question 1

What is maternal behaviour?

3pt

Answer 1

• All behaviours directed towards nurturing the offspring, providing care, maximize survival
• A form of altruism – time, energy & survival - Fitness of the species
• Paternal behavior is rare in mammals. In monogamous biparental species, the male can do everything that the mother does, except lactate

Question 2

What are the elements of maternal behaviour before birth, at birth and after birth?

3pt

Answer 2

Before birth
* Searching birth location (nesting) -Increased activity, Separation from the herd

At birth
* Ensure newborn survival - Grooming/bond, Hiding/Protecting, Nursing/Feeding

After birth
* Maximize progeny fitness - Strengthen maternal bond, Communication, learning, Lactation/Feeding

Question 3

What is the function of selecting a birth site?

3pt

Answer 3

• Protect neonates from harsh environment
• Protect and hide young from predators
• Isolate young from conspecifics to improve parental bond

Question 4

What is birth like for cows, pigs and sheep?

3pt

Answer 4

• Predicting time of parturition - Not easy
• Advantage for species NOT to advertise the time of parturition
• Technology being developed and commercially available

Question 5

What is maternal recognition?

4pt

Answer 5

• To provide the adequate care and protection
• Avoid spending resources in other mother’s young
• It typically takes place before the time in which young conspecifics may mix
• Inappropriate maternal behaviours often caused by an improper offspring recognition

Question 6

What are factors that impact maternal behaviour?

5pt

Answer 6

External factors
* Environment
* surrondings

Internal factors
* Previous experience
* hormones/genetics

Causal factors
* Interpretations of external changes and internal states of the body that serve as imputs to the decision-making centre

Question 7

How does experience effect maternal behaviour?

4pt

Answer 7

Inexperienced mothers are not as competent as experienced ones:
* More fearful of offspring
* Bonding and attachment slower
* More reliant on sensory cues from the calf
* More disturbed/distracted by the behaviour of others and the environment

Question 8

How do hormones impact maternal behaviour?

3pt

Answer 8

• Before birth: Pregnant females find smell of amniotic fluids repulsive and will avoid newborn calves
• After birth: They are attracted to fluids and their newborn calves and will lick them vigorously
• Oxytocin - peaks at birth, causes uterine contraction, causes milk let down

Question 8

How does perinatal stress impact maternal behaviour?

3pt

Answer 8

• Interferes with proper hormonal cascade and maternal bonding
• Predisposes offspring to different gene expression (epigenetics)
• Perinatal stress - increased response to pain and stress - altered immune function - reduced growth rate - aggressive behaviour - poor maternal behaviour

Question 9

What are Factors interfering maternal behaviour?

4pt

Answer 9

1) Wrong hormonal profile
a. Lack of cervical stimulation (C-section)
b. Drugs or hormones that interfere with oxytocin release (sedatives from C-section, stress hormones)

2) Interference from other females, predators or humans

3) Birthing fatigue and weak offspring

4) Body condition score (thinner cows, poorer mothers)

Question 10

What are intervention strategies for maternal behaviour?

4pt

Answer 10

1) Leave females undisturbed during parturition, minimize assistance

2) Taste of birth fluids
a) Smear onto nose and tongue
b) Encourage female to lick young
c) Transfer characteristics of dam’s offspring to alien young (e.g. odor transfer, skin graft)

3) Milk letdown

4) Reduce the initial rejection and gain acceptance over time.
a) Physical restraint
b) Tranquilizers