Related Experiment Videos
Fostering lambs by odor transfer: the add-on experiment
Journal of Animal Science
|May 1, 1987
Summary
Ewes can adopt alien lambs using an odor-transfer technique, especially when lambs share similar facial features. This method aids in fostering by masking alien lamb scent with the ewe's own lamb odor.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Reproductive biology
- Sheep husbandry
Background:
- Ewes identify their offspring using lamb-specific odors.
- Fostering can be enhanced by transferring maternal lamb odor via stockinettes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an odor-transfer technique for increasing lamb adoption rates in ewes with single offspring.
- To investigate if lamb odor transfer can facilitate the "add-on" fostering procedure.
Main Methods:
- Nylon stockinettes were placed on newborn lambs to collect odor.
- Stockinettes from natural lambs were transferred to alien "add-on" lambs for experimental ewes.
- Control ewes and their lambs retained their original stockinettes.
- Four acceptance tests were conducted over several days post-parturition.
Main Results:
- 68% of experimental ewes adopted add-on lambs when facial coloration was similar.
- Adoption rates dropped significantly (20%) when facial coloration differed.
- Only 12.5% of control ewes adopted an add-on lamb.
- Primiparous ewes showed higher adoption rates than multiparous ewes.
Conclusions:
- Lamb odor transfer via stockinettes facilitates fostering, increasing adoption rates.
- Obvious differences in facial coloration can override the olfactory cue of own-lamb odor.
- The add-on fostering procedure is more successful when visual cues align with olfactory cues.