Nursing behaviour in pregnant mares

BARTOŠOVÁ, J. Vliv březosti klisnyna její chování při kojení. Veterinářství, 2012, roč. 62, č. 8, s. 510-512.{INTLINK}
BARTOŠOVÁ, Jitka. Nursing behaviour in pregnant mares. Veterinářství, 2012, vol. 62(8), p. 510-512. ISSN 0506-8231.
Year2012
CathegoryPublication in specialized journals
Internal link12156.pdf
Abstract

Parent-offspring conflict arises over milk provided by the mammal mother and it is further intensified in species with common concurrent pregnancy and lactation in females. In accordance with this equid pregnant mares wean their foals earlier than non-pregnant ones. We presumed intensified mother-offspring conflict in pregnant mares also during the period of intensive lactation, i.e., before the weaning process starts. We tested the effect of pregnancy on suckling behaviour characteristics in domestic horses. Contrary to expectation, we found a decreased mother-offspring conflict related to pregnancy in lactating females during first two trimesters of pregnancy. Our results suggest that pregnant mares cope with parallel investment into a nursed foal and a foetus through enhancing nursing behaviour in early stages of pregnancy before the initially low requirements of the foetus increase. They most likely compensate their suckling foal with the perspective of its early weaning due to on-going pregnancy.