Ewe maternal behavior score to estimate lamb survival and performance during lactation
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Universidade Estadual de Maringá
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Mortality of perinatal lambs and low weight at weaning cause huge liabilities to farmers. Current study describes mate rnal-filial behavior and evaluates the us e of maternal behavior score (MBS) to estimate the behavior of ewes and lambs soon afte r birth, and correlate it with lamb mortality and performance during lactation. Thirty-seven Corriedale ew es were used in a completely randomized design. MBS was assessed up to 24 hours afte r birth, taking into consideration the distance of the ewe from the lamb at the approach of a person. Maternal behavior, placental weight, weight gain of the lambs until weaning and their survival rate were also evaluated until two hours after lambing. More than 90% of the ewes had adequate maternal behavior, with parental ca re, even though ewes were very sensitive to the presence of people. There was no significant correlation between MBS and maternal behavior, lamb mortality rate and live weight gain. Under these conditions, MBS was not a useful tool to estimate maternal behavior and performance of lambs.
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