From the get-go: Dietary exposure in utero and in early life alters dietary preference in later life

• Published in: Applied animal behaviour science 2021-11, Vol.244, p.105466, Article 105466
• Main Authors: Garrett, K., Marshall, C.J., Beck, M.R., Fleming, A., Maxwell, T.M.R., Logan, C.M., Greer, A.W., Gregorini, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dietary neophobia; Dietary preference; Foraging ecology; Ruminant livestock
• ISSN: 0168-1591; 1872-9045
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105466

The objectives were to determine the effect of in utero and early-life dietary exposure to a diverse diet or a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) diet on grazing behavior and dietary neophobia of lambs ~3.5 months post-weaning (weaned at 6 weeks of age). Sixty-four Coopworth lambs (152.5 ± 1.4 d of age; mean ± SEM,) were used. Sixteen lambs had previous in utero exposure to the diverse diet (INDIV) and another 16 had in utero and early life (from birth to weaning at 42 ± 2 d of age) exposure to the diverse diet (ELDIV) of ryegrass, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Sixteen lambs had only in utero exposure to ryegrass (INRYE) and the other 16 had early life exposure to ryegrass (ELRYE). Lambs were randomly allocated to one of 16 paddocks (n = 4 per treatment) with 4 lambs per paddock. All paddocks contained equal areas of spatially separated strips of red clover, chicory, alfalfa, plantain, and ryegrass, of which arrangement within the paddock was randomized. Every 5 min from 0620 to 2105 h, trained observers recorded the behavior (grazing, idle, and ruminating) and the location (pasture species) of each lamb. The INRYE and ELRYE lambs tended to (P ≤ 0.10) and spent more time (P