mother-bonding

Question 1

what is the basis of maternal behavior

Answer 1

innate behavior (available at first form when needed, genetically programmed, response increases fitness of the individual to a certain set of stimuli)

experience

Question 2

what are some internal expressions of maternal behavior

Answer 2

• Heredity
• Experience
• Hormones

Question 3

what are some external expressions of maternal

Answer 3

• Smell
• Appearance
• Sound

Question 4

what is a typical feature of maternal behavior before partuition

Answer 4

withdrawal of dam from social group

Question 5

how do cats, dogs, and sows behave before giving birth?

Answer 5

Find secluded spot & build nest

Question 6

how do sheep and cows behave before giving birth?

Answer 6

• Separate from group

* Give birth in concealed, densely covered area

Question 7

how do mares behave before giving birth?

Answer 7

may or may not seclude themselves from group

Question 8

what does separation allow for?

Answer 8

• Separation allows period of peaceful isolation
- Social bonding occurs between mother and offspring

• Sensitive period for mother & newborn for bonding to occur quickly & efficiently

Question 9

what effect does temporary withdrawal of dam from the social group?

Answer 9

• Dam has opportunity to form social bond with her offspring
• Other expectant mothers are prevented from stealing it
• Newborn has some opportunity to learn to identify its own mother

Question 10

what is a common maternal behavior for dams with newborns?

Answer 10

• Vigorous licking of newborn

* Sow noses her offspring after all are born

Question 11

how does licking prevent heat loss?

Answer 11

Conduction through thick amniotic fluid

Question 12

how does licking affect the neonate

Answer 12

draws attention of neonate to mother

Question 13

how does licking aid in recognition of neonate?

Answer 13

Licking lays quantities of saliva & pheromones

Question 14

which hormone mediates much maternal behavior and grooming?

Answer 14

prolactin

Question 15

with mothers of twins or triplets, what may happen with grooming?

Answer 15

may not extend beyond first born (in Merino)

happens more in primiparous due to lack of experience

Question 16

primiparous vs multiparous

Answer 16

first off mothering process vs multiple, comes with experience

Question 17

what is a characteristic of mother and offspring post-partum?

Answer 17

vocalization

Question 18

why would mothers eat the placenta

Answer 18

tend to see in dogs, don’t want to attract predators

Question 19

what happens to heifers raised in isolation

Answer 19

More likely to butt, kick offspring, interrupt suckling

Question 20

describe suckling

Answer 20

• Dam will take stationary position immediately adjacent to newborn
• Allow it to search for teat
• Dam may make alterations in position to correct the newborns position

Question 21

how does offspring orient for suckling and what does that allow for?

Answer 21

• Offspring back end to be near head of dam

* Olfaction - bonding

Question 22

why may triplets be desired in sheep in terms of fostering?

Answer 22

may be desirable to even out number of lambs per ewe

Question 23

why may mature cows foster first calf heifers calves?

Answer 23

• Calf fostered onto mature cow to reduce
stress on heifer
• Heifer returns to reproductive cyclicty sooner

Question 24

why may piglets be fostered?

Answer 24

Even out litter size

Question 25

what do you do with orphan lambs and why?

Answer 25

Orphan lambs covered with pelt of lamb that died
• Likely to be accepted by mother of deceased

problem: don’t want to put sick lamb pelt so mother will accept it, instead of skinning lamb put amniotic fluid from the ewe onto lamb

Question 26

why would we surgically deprive a ewe’s sense of smell?

Answer 26

will readily accept alien lambs

Question 27

how long does it take for lambs to be able to suckle freely during a forced fostering?

Answer 27

10 days

Question 28

tranquilized ewes will accept lambs _ days after she has give birth

Answer 28

2

Question 29

Ewe will accept “___” lamb presented within 8 hour interval of birthing

Answer 29

wet

Question 30

if you collect amniotic fluid and rub on fostered calf, what may happen?

Answer 30

• Cow may initially refuse calf
• Within 24 hrs accepts the calf
• Own calf had been removed at birth

Question 31

what may happen when utilizing the traditional method of fostering for cattle?

Answer 31

• Force-fostering onto restrained cow
• Had opportunity to bond with own calf for 3 hrs
• Calves accepted to varying degrees after 10 days

Question 32

what happens with cattle force fostering cows and calves are placed back into the herd?

Answer 32

confusion as to proper pairings

Question 33

when do bonded calves weigh more?

Answer 33

at weaning

Question 34

when is the critical period for cow-calf bond?

Answer 34

first few hours postpartum

Question 35

how old does a piglet have to be in order for a sow to accept it?

Answer 35

2 days old or younger

Question 36

what kind of sow accepts strange piglets

Answer 36

anosmic

Question 37

define anosmic

Answer 37

without sense of smell

Question 38

what does success of fostering foals depend on?

Answer 38

Success depends on age of foal & nature of foster mare

• The younger the foal & closer in age to mare’s own foal
- More likely she is to accept it

Question 39

why may you foster a foal from a valuable horse?

Answer 39

get back into its sport, etc., may be too stressful for the mare, don’t want her to get hurt in pasture

Question 40

true or false: a mare will accept a sick foal

Answer 40

false, Mare will reject ill or abnormal foal

Question 41

what can you do to increase the chances of a mare accepting a foster foal?

Answer 41

Can place placental fluids or milk over foal

Question 42

when will cats accept alien kittens?

Answer 42

not much older than their own at parturition

Question 43

does maternal behavior persist longer in cats or ungulates?

Answer 43

cats

Question 44

what kind of species are more willing to accept foster young?

Answer 44

litter bearers (cats, dogs, and pigs) are more willing to accept than those that produce singlets or twins