Effects of parity, litter size and lamb sex on maternal behavior of small Tail Han sheep and their neuroendocrine mechanisms

The concept of positive welfare is an expansion of the traditional understanding that animal welfare is defined by minimizing stress, pain, suffering, and disease. Positive welfare shifts the animal welfare narrative from a focus on reducing negative experiences to proactively providing animals with opportunities to have positive experiences and feelings. The concept, although around for several decades, is in its infancy in terms of developing ways of assessing positive welfare on farms, especially in extensive systems, and there are challenges in the adoption of positive welfare practices and the monitoring of continuous improvement at the farm level. Using an iterative approach, this critical review aims to explore the extent to which positive welfare interventions and indicators are positioned and have been developed within the animal welfare literature for sheep. This paper critiques existing positive welfare indicators, such as choices in food and the physical environment, conspecific social synchronization, maternal bonds, intergenerational knowledge transfer, positive human–animal relationships, etc., as currently assessed by the ‘good life framework’. It also reviews the characteristics of scientific measures for (positive) affective states in the current sheep literature and their potential contribution to understanding positive welfare states in sheep. In conclusion, this paper provides recommendations for future research regarding sheep welfare.

Section: Results and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Aspects of Welfare in Sheep: Current Debates and Future Opportunities

Muhammad

Stokes

Manning

2022

“…The positive OXT feedback from the newborns’ suckling also stimulates OXT release in several mammals [ 88 , 89 ]. Milking behavior predominates during the first seven days post-parturition, as reported in sows and ewes [ 90 , 91 ].…”

Section: The Role Of Oxt In the Establishment Of Maternal Behavior Re...mentioning

confidence: 92%

The Role of Oxytocin in Domestic Animal’s Maternal Care: Parturition, Bonding, and Lactation

Mota-Rojas

Marcet-Rius

Domínguez-Oliva

et al. 2023

Oxytocin (OXT) is one of the essential hormones in the birth process; however, estradiol, prolactin, cortisol, relaxin, connexin, and prostaglandin are also present. In addition to parturition, the functions in which OXT is also involved in mammals include the induction of maternal behavior, including imprinting and maternal care, social cognition, and affiliative behavior, which can affect allo-parental care. The present article aimed to analyze the role of OXT and the neurophysiologic regulation of this hormone during parturition, how it can promote or impair maternal behavior and bonding, and its importance in lactation in domestic animals.

“…During the sensitive period, high estrogen concentrations and low progesterone are considered to activate oxytocin secretion in sheep and to increase the amount of estrogen receptors (ER-α) in the medial preoptic area [ 5 , 71 , 75 ]. This interaction is critical, since oxytocin is responsible for initiating maternal behavior, while estrogens maintain the above-mentioned behaviors [ 76 ]. In relation to this, although there are no reports on water buffalo, in other ruminants high estrogen levels and a low cortisol concentration are associated with an enhanced maternal performance [ 77 ].…”

Section: Imprinting Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dairy Buffalo Behavior: Calving, Imprinting and Allosuckling

Mota-Rojas

Bragaglio²,

Braghieri

et al. 2022

Maternal behavior, in water buffalo and other ruminants, is a set of patterns of a determined species, including calving, imprinting, and suckling. This behavior is mainly triggered by hormone concentration changes and their interactions with their respective receptors in the brain, particularly oxytocin. These chemical signals also influence mother–young bonding, a critical process for neonatal survival that develops during the first postpartum hours. Currently, dairy buffalo behavior during parturition has rarely been studied. For this reason, this review aims to analyze the existing scientific evidence regarding maternal behavior in water buffalo during calving. It will address the mechanisms of imprinting, maternal care, and allosuckling strategies that may influence the survival and health of calves.