Maternal selectivity suppression through peripheral anosmia affects neither overall nursing frequency and duration,...

The effects of prepartum peripheral anosmia on nursing activity, milk production and growth of the lambs, were assessed by comparing intact (n=10) and anosmic (n=10) multiparous Columbia and Rambouillet ewes and their single lamb during the first 2 months of lactation. Intact mothers only nursed their own lamb (98%) while most of the nursing activity in anosmic mothers concerned alien lambs (78%). On the other hand, the total duration and the frequencies of nursing did not differ significantly between groups (P>0.05). Nevertheless, the total percentage of nursing of own lamb by anosmic mothers (22%) was higher than expected at random (10%). Milk production or lambs' weights did not differ between groups. We conclude that prepartum anosmia resulted in the failure of ewes to develop true selective nursing up to the 8th week of lactation, although some preferential mother-young relationship yet developed. On the other hand, it did not affect significantly overall nursing activity.