Pregnant Mares and Mother-Offspring Conflict During Lactation
Author Information
Author(s): Bartošová Jitka, Komárková Martina, Dubcová Jana, Bartoš Luděk, Pluháček Jan
Primary Institution: Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Praha – Uhříněves, Czech Republic
Hypothesis
Pregnant mares will have shorter suckling bouts and higher rates of rejected suckling compared to non-pregnant mares due to increased conflict over maternal investment.
Conclusion
Pregnant mares do not increase mother-offspring conflict during intensive lactation and actually enhance nursing behavior towards their foals.
Supporting Evidence
- Pregnant mares provided longer suckling bouts than non-pregnant mares.
- Pregnant mares did not reject suckling attempts more often than non-pregnant mares.
- The study observed 10,848 suckling solicitations, with only 1% being rejected by mothers.
Takeaway
When horse moms are pregnant, they still take good care of their babies and let them suckle more, instead of being mean and cutting them off.
Methodology
The study observed 59 lactating mares and their foals, recording suckling behaviors and analyzing the effects of pregnancy on these behaviors.
Limitations
The study did not investigate the weaning process as foals were artificially weaned before reaching 7 months of age.
Participant Demographics
Mares aged from 4 to 25 years, with 24 being primiparous, and their foals (32 males, 47 females).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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