Influence of maternal undernutrition on the behaviour of juvenile lambs

• Published in: Applied animal behaviour science 2009-01, Vol.116 (2), p.191-197
• Main Authors: Simitzis, Panagiotis E., Charismiadou, Maria A., Kotsampasi, Basiliki, Papadomichelakis, George, Christopoulou, Eugenia P., Papavlasopoulou, Eirini K., Deligeorgis, Stelios G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: animal age; animal behavior; animal preferences; Approach latency; dams (mothers); escape behavior; Escape behaviour; fearfulness; feeding level; gestational age; Heart rate; Jump; Lamb; lambs; Laterality; laterality preference; malnutrition; maternal nutrition; Novelty; Prenatal undernutrition; social behavior; social isoaltion; Vocalization
• ISSN: 0168-1591; 1872-9045
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2008.09.007

The objective of the present experiment was to determine the implications of prenatal undernutrition on the behaviour of juvenile lambs. Dams of one group (C) were fed 100% of the recommended requirements throughout pregnancy, while those of two other groups were fed 50% of the control nutrient allowance during the first 30 days of pregnancy (R1) or 50% of the control nutrient allowance from days 31–100 of pregnancy (R2). Between 2 and 5 months old, behaviour of lambs was tested by the implementation of 2 types of test: isolation and novelty. There were no statistical differences between lamb treatments in escape behaviour and heart rates during isolation test, or the latency to approach a novel or a familiar object in the novelty test in tests conducted at 2, 3, 4 and 5 months of age. Male lambs showed a tendency of turning to the right-hand side of the test pen, irrespective of treatment group, between the age of 2 and 5 months old. A greater proportion of C compared to R1 males turned right at the age of 2 and 5 months old ( P < 0.05). Significant differences concerning laterality were found also between C and R1 female lambs at the age of 2 and 4 months old ( P < 0.001), between C and R2 male lambs at the age of 2 months old ( P < 0.05), between C and R2 female lambs at the age of 4 and 5 months old ( P < 0.01), between R1 and R2 male lambs at the age of 2 and 5 months old ( P < 0.05) and between R1 and R2 female lambs at the age of 2 months old ( P < 0.001). It is concluded that prenatal undernutrition during different periods of pregnancy had no effect on fear-related behaviour, but effect on laterality at the early stages of lamb age between 2 and 5 months old.