Transcript Dam/Offspring Interaction

Dam/Offspring Interaction
Dam/Offspring Interaction
• What type of relationship is it?
– Care giving and care seeking
• Giving on the part of the mother, known as
“Maternal”
• Care seeking on the part of the young
– Begin shortly after birth & extend until the
young are weaned
Pre-Calving Behavior
• At calving cows will seek isolation
– Where they can find a place to hide out
• Why?
Post-Calving Behavior
• Following birth the care giving behavior
begins almost immediately
– the dam will get up & lick her calf to dry it
– Some cows will simultaneously lick & vocalize
to the calf
– the calf attempts to stand, the cow may become
very attentive & nervous as the calf stands,
takes a few steps & falls
– the calf eventually makes its way to its feet &
instinctively searches for a teat
• Why is this important?
The Newborn Calf
• Cannot see well, but can smell, touch, taste
& hear
• Associates the security & care that it
receives with its mother
– this is the beginning of the herding instinct
Calving on Pasture
• Cow usually hides her calf
• While the calf sleeps, the cow will graze
– At intervals she will return to feed her calf
• If the cow must leave to seek water or
supplemental feed, she doesn't wander far
Baby-sitting Behavior
• Where there are a number of newborn
calves:
– Part of a group of mothers will leave for feed or
water, while one or two remain with all of the
calves
– When the first cow returns, the “baby-sitters”
will take their turn and depart
– In this way there are always older cows with
calves
• Why doesn’t this work with a group of heifers?
Protective Behavior
• If a calf is approached by a human it will
usually lie as close to the ground as
possible, without any movement except its
eyes.
• If frightened, the calf will bawl or cry out
• If mother hears the cry, she will come
quickly, often ready to fight
• If there are other cows in the area, they may
join the response
Recognition Between
Dam & Calf
• When the calf is older recognition between
dam & calf is by:
– smell
– sight
– sound
• Cows will sniff the calf after being away for
a time
• A calf recognizes its mother’s call
Attachment Between
Cow & Calf
• Attachment of the cow to the calf is very
strong
– the calf will accept separation with less stress
than will the dam
• Calves that are removed from their mothers
during the first hour or so after birth are
frequently rejected when reunited