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Author Bartosova, J.; Komarkova, M.; Dubcova, J.; Bartos, L.; Pluhacek J.
Title (up) Nursing behaviour in pregnant domestic mares (Equus caballus): Can they cope with dual maternal investment? Type Conference Article
Year 2012 Publication Proceedings of the 2. International Equine Science Meeting Abbreviated Journal Proc. 2. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg
Volume in press Issue Pages
Keywords Suckling behaviour; pregnancy; parent-offspring conflict; domestic horses; Equus caballus
Abstract Among mammals, lactation is the most energy demanding part of parental care and so parentoffspring conflict should arise over milk provided by the mother. Mother and offspring should disagree over the length and amount of the milk provision. We focused on effect of pregnancy on suckling behaviour variables as indicators of mother-offspring conflict in domestic horses. We presumed shorter suckling bouts and higher rates of rejected and/or terminated suckling in pregnant mares compared to non-pregnant ones. Increasing conflict over amount of maternal investment between mother and her young are to be expected because of her parallel investment into a nursed foal and a foetus. Eight groups of loose housed lactating mares with foals of Kladruby horse were studied at the National Stud Kladruby nad Labem (Czech Republic) from deliveries to abrupt weaning (at the age of 127 to 210 days). We recorded 10 848 suckling solicitations of 79 mare-foal pairs, from which 10 607 resulted in a suckling bout. In 41 cases a nursing mare became pregnant during lactation. We found no significant effect of pregnancy either on probability of the mother rejecting suckling solicitation of her foal or probability that she terminated a suckling bout. However the overall effect of mother’s pregnancy on suckling bout duration was not significant, there were considerable differences in pregnant and non-pregnant mares according to who terminated a suckling bout, whether the mother or the foal (F(1, 9776) = 12.1, P < 0.001). In case it was the mother then the suckling bout was longer if she was pregnant (65.36 ± 1.25 s) than barren (60.55 ± 1.36 s). We found no impact of pregnancy on duration of suckling bouts terminated by the foal. Further, nursing a foal during the first two trimesters of pregnancy had no negative impact on birth weight of the foetus. In conclusion, we found not higher, but a lower mother-offspring conflict in pregnant than in non-pregnant lactating mares while expecting just the opposite. We suggest that pregnant mares compensate their nursed foals during intensive stages of lactation through a relaxed mother-offspring conflict for later decrease in investment due to increasing demands of the foetus and/or for the shorter period of milk supply. Our results (partly published in Bartosova et al. 2011, PLoS ONE 6(8): e22068) are of high importance in horse breeding. One of the main arguments for early weaning of the foals is regeneration of their pregnant mothers before upcoming delivery. Here we present evidence that a pregnant mare “counts” with her dual maternal investment and “employs” evolutionary mechanisms enabling her to rear a vital foetus. From this point of view there is no objective reason for stressful weaning of her nursed offspring practised in conventional breeding. Supported by AWIN, EU FP7 project No. 266213.
Address
Corporate Author Bartosova, J. Thesis
Publisher Xenophon Publishing Place of Publication Wald Editor Krueger, K.
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 978-3-9808134-26 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5501
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Author Collery, L.
Title (up) Observations of equine animals under farm and feral conditions Type Journal Article
Year 1974 Publication Equine veterinary journal Abbreviated Journal Equine Vet J
Volume 6 Issue 4 Pages 170-173
Keywords Aggression; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Breeding; Circadian Rhythm; Feeding Behavior; Female; Horses/*physiology; Housing, Animal; Humans; Male; Pregnancy; Puberty; Reproduction; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Social Dominance
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0425-1644 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:4473340 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 680
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Author Virga, V.; Houpt, K.A.
Title (up) Prevalence of placentophagia in horses Type Journal Article
Year 2001 Publication Equine veterinary journal Abbreviated Journal Equine Vet J
Volume 33 Issue 2 Pages 208-210
Keywords Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Colic/epidemiology/*veterinary; Exploratory Behavior; *Feeding Behavior; Female; Horse Diseases/*epidemiology; Horses; Incidence; New York/epidemiology; *Placenta; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Prevalence; Questionnaires
Abstract
Address Animal Behavior Clinic, Cornell University Hospital for Animals, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0425-1644 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:11266073 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 31
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Author Turner, J.W.J.; Liu, I.K.; Kirkpatrick, J.F.
Title (up) Remotely delivered immunocontraception in free-roaming feral burros (Equus asinus) Type Journal Article
Year 1996 Publication Journal of reproduction and fertility Abbreviated Journal J Reprod Fertil
Volume 107 Issue 1 Pages 31-35
Keywords Animals; *Animals, Wild; Contraception, Immunologic/methods/*veterinary; *Equidae; Feces/chemistry; Female; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Tests; Swine; Zona Pellucida/immunology
Abstract Regulation of local overpopulations of free-roaming feral equids is in demand worldwide for ecological balance and habitat preservation. Contraceptive vaccines have proven effective in feral horses, which breed seasonally, but no data are available for equids such as the burro, which is reproductively active all year round. In the present study, 27 individually identified female feral burros (Equus asinus) roaming free in Virgin Islands National Park (St John, US Virgin Islands; Lesser Antilles) were remotely treated with pig zonae pellucidae (PZP) vaccine. Between January and May, 16 burros were darted with a 1 ml emulsion of PZP plus Freund's adjuvant. Ten to twelve months later each treated burro was given a single booster injection of PZP plus adjuvant to maintain contraception through a second year. Eleven adult untreated jennies served as controls. Beginning one year after initial vaccination, these burros were monitored for pregnancy and foal production. Collection of data to determine treatment effect was not begun until 12 months after initial treatment to ensure that pregnancies existing before vaccination were not included. Pregnancy was assessed using previously validated methods for steroid metabolite measurement in fresh faecal samples. None of the PZP-treated burros produced foals between 0 and 12 months after the last inoculation. One PZP-treated burro tested positive for pregnancy at 10 months after the final inoculation. During this same period, six of 11 untreated burros tested pregnancy-positive, and four were observed with foals. There was no difference in pregnancy rates among treated, control and randomly sampled jennies between 12 and 24 months after the last inoculation. The results demonstrate that, in free-roaming feral burros that are reproductively active all year round: (1) burros can be accessed for remotely delivered PZP vaccination; (2) PZP contraception is effective; (3) PZP contraception is reversible; and (4) pregnancy can be reliably detected by faecal steroid analysis.
Address Department of Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699, USA
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-4251 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:8699431 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 144
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Author Keiper, R.; Houpt, K.
Title (up) Reproduction in feral horses: an eight-year study Type Journal Article
Year 1984 Publication American journal of veterinary research Abbreviated Journal Am J Vet Res
Volume 45 Issue 5 Pages 991-995
Keywords Abortion, Veterinary/epidemiology; Anestrus; Animal Population Groups/*physiology; Animals; Animals, Wild/*physiology; Birth Rate; Female; Fertility; Horse Diseases/epidemiology; Horses/*physiology; Lactation; Male; Maryland; Pregnancy; *Reproduction; Seasons; Sex Ratio; Virginia
Abstract The reproductive rate and foal survival of the free-ranging ponies on Assateague Island National Seashore were studied for 8 years, 1975 to 1982. Most (52%) of the 86 foals were born in May, 13% were born in April, 22.6% in June, 10.4% in July, and less than 1% in August and September. The mean foaling rate was 57.1 +/- 3.9% and the survival rate was 88.3 +/- 3.6%. Forty-eight colts and 55 fillies were born (sex ratio 53% female). Mares less than 3 years old did not foal and the foaling rate of 3-year-old mares was only 23%, that of 4-year-old mares was 46%, that of 5-year-old mares was 53%, and 6-year-old mares was 69%. The relatively poor reproduction rate was believed to be a consequence of the stress of lactating while carrying a foal when forage quality on the island was low. The hypothesis was supported by the higher reproductive rate (74.4 +/- 2.4%) of the ponies in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on the southern part of the island. Their foals are weaned and sold in July each year. Despite the low reproductive rate on Assateague Island National Seashore , the number of ponies increased from 43 to 80, a 90% increase in the 8-year period or greater than 10%/yr. There were 24 deaths and 8 dispersals from the study area.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0002-9645 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:6732036 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 665
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Author Stahl, F.; Dorner, G.
Title (up) Responses of salivary cortisol levels to stress-situations Type Journal Article
Year 1982 Publication Endokrinologie Abbreviated Journal Endokrinologie
Volume 80 Issue 2 Pages 158-162
Keywords Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/diagnostic use; Anxiety Disorders/metabolism; Circadian Rhythm; Cushing Syndrome/metabolism; Fear/physiology; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone/*metabolism; Male; Pain/metabolism; Pregnancy; Saliva/*metabolism; Stress/*metabolism
Abstract A procedure is described for determining salivary cortisol levels by a competitive protein-binding assay using horse transcortin. The collection of saliva was performed by means of filter paper-strips. Filter paper samples are more than 5 days stable after air-drying. In this form, the samples could be stored without refrigerator or deep-freezer and, if necessary, sent by post to the laboratory without any special precaution. Stressful situation of either painful or anxious origin were associated with an adequate increase of salivary cortisol levels. The increases were 157 to 230% of the initial or normal values dependent on the kind of stress. The mean values in 4 cases of Cushing's syndrome were 380% and 1 hour after 25 I.U. ACTH 690% higher than those in normal persons. In normal persons, a well-defined circadian rhythm has been observed.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0013-7251 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:6297880 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 4056
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Author Kirkpatrick, J.F.; Turner, A.
Title (up) Reversibility of action and safety during pregnancy of immunization against porcine zona pellucida in wild mares (Equus caballus) Type Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication Reproduction (Cambridge, England) Supplement Abbreviated Journal Reprod Suppl
Volume 60 Issue Pages 197-202
Keywords Animals; *Animals, Wild; Antigens/administration & dosage; Contraception, Immunologic/methods/*veterinary; Egg Proteins/administration & dosage; Female; Fertility; *Horses; Immunization, Secondary/veterinary; Membrane Glycoproteins/administration & dosage; Population Control; Pregnancy; *Receptors, Cell Surface; Safety; Swine; Time Factors; Vaccines, Contraceptive/*administration & dosage
Abstract Contraceptive management of publicly valued wildlife species requires safeguards to ensure that these populations are preserved in a healthy state. In addition, reversibility of contraceptive effects and safety in pregnant animals are major concerns. A population of wild horses has been immunized against porcine zona pellucida (PZP) over a 12 year period on Assateague Island National Seashore, MD (ASIS). Mares initially received one or two 65 microg inoculations and once a year 65 microg booster inoculations, all delivered by dart. All young mares aged > 2 years were treated with PZP for 3 consecutive years regardless of whether they have bred successfully and they were then removed from treatment until they had foaled. All mares vaccinated for 1 or 2 consecutive years became fertile again and 69% of mares treated for 3 consecutive years returned to fertility. All five mares treated for 4 or 5 consecutive years have also returned to fertility, but over longer periods of time. Mares treated for 7 consecutive years have not returned to fertility, but several, while still infertile, have started ovulating again. There was no difference in survival rates between foals born to treated and untreated mares, and PZP treatment of pregnant mares did not affect subsequent fertility of their female offspring.
Address Science and Conservation Center, ZooMontana, Billings 59106, USA. zoolab@wtp.net
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1477-0415 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:12220160 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 141
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Author Arnold, W.; Ruf, T.; Kuntz, R.
Title (up) Seasonal adjustment of energy budget in a large wild mammal, the Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) II. Energy expenditure Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication The Journal of experimental biology Abbreviated Journal J Exp Biol
Volume 209 Issue Pt 22 Pages 4566-4573
Keywords Animals; Animals, Wild/*physiology; Body Temperature; Body Temperature Regulation; Eating; *Energy Metabolism; Female; Heart Rate; Horses/*physiology; Male; Motor Activity; Pregnancy; Reproduction; *Seasons
Abstract Many large mammals show pronounced seasonal fluctuations of metabolic rate (MR). It has been argued, based on studies in ruminants, that this variation merely results from different levels of locomotor activity (LA), and heat increment of feeding (HI). However, a recent study in red deer (Cervus elaphus) identified a previously unknown mechanism in ungulates--nocturnal hypometabolism--that contributed significantly to reduced energy expenditure, mainly during late winter. The relative contribution of these different mechanisms to seasonal adjustments of MR is still unknown, however. Therefore, in the study presented here we quantified for the first time the independent contribution of thermoregulation, LA and HI to heart rate (f(H)) as a measure of MR in a free-roaming large ungulate, the Przewalski horse or Takhi (Equus ferus przewalskii Poljakow). f(H) varied periodically throughout the year with a twofold increase from a mean of 44 beats min(-1) during December and January to a spring peak of 89 beats min(-1) at the beginning of May. LA increased from 23% per day during December and January to a mean level of 53% per day during May, and declined again thereafter. Daily mean subcutaneous body temperature (T(s)) declined continuously during winter and reached a nadir at the beginning of April (annual range was 5.8 degrees C), well after the annual low of air temperature and LA. Lower T(s) during winter contributed considerably to the reduction in f(H). In addition to thermoregulation, f(H) was affected by reproduction, LA, HI and unexplained seasonal variation, presumably reflecting to some degree changes in organ mass. The observed phase relations of seasonal changes indicate that energy expenditure was not a consequence of energy uptake but is under endogenous control, preparing the organism well in advance of seasonal energetic demands.
Address Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria. walter.arnold@vu-wien.ac.at
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-0949 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:17079726 Approved no
Call Number Serial 1782
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Author Franceschini, C.; Siutz, C.; Palme, R.; Millesi, E.
Title (up) Seasonal changes in cortisol and progesterone secretion in Common hamsters Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication General and Comparative Endocrinology Abbreviated Journal Gen Comp Endocrinol
Volume 152 Issue 1 Pages 14-21
Keywords Animals; Cortisone/*secretion; Cricetinae/*metabolism; Feces/chemistry; Female; Lactation/physiology; Male; Pregnancy; Progesterone/*secretion; Reproduction/physiology; *Seasons; Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology
Abstract In this study, we investigated endocrine factors and behaviour in free-living Common hamsters (Cricetus cricetus) during reproductive and non-reproductive periods of the annual cycle. We applied a non-invasive method to gain information on seasonal changes in adrenocortical activity in male and female hamsters by analysing faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations (FCM). In addition, plasma progesterone concentrations were monitored in females throughout the non-hibernation season. The animals were live-trapped from spring emergence until the onset of hibernation in autumn. Reproductive status was determined at capture and blood and faecal samples were collected. During behavioural observations, agonistic and sexual interactions were recorded. FCM concentrations were significantly higher in males than in females during the reproductive period. In males, a pronounced increase in FCM during the reproductive period coincided with high frequencies of intrasexual aggression. In females, FCM levels remained relatively constant. Aggressive behaviour in females increased during the reproductive period, but was much less frequent than in males. Females, which successfully raised a second litter after a postpartum oestrus and concurrent lactation and gestation had lower FCM levels than individuals, which lost their second litter after parturition. As expected, plasma progesterone concentrations were low before and after the reproductive period. During gestation, levels peaked and remained elevated during lactation. The results of this field study provide insight in critical periods associated with reproduction in male and female Common hamsters.
Address Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. claudia.franceschini@univie.ac.ct
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0016-6480 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:17408667 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4076
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Author Brennan, P.A.
Title (up) The nose knows who's who: chemosensory individuality and mate recognition in mice Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Hormones and Behavior Abbreviated Journal Horm Behav
Volume 46 Issue 3 Pages 231-240
Keywords Animals; Chemoreceptors/physiology; Discrimination Learning/*physiology; Embryo Implantation/physiology; Female; Individuality; Major Histocompatibility Complex/physiology; Male; Mice; Neurons, Afferent/physiology; Nose/cytology/physiology; Perception/physiology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Maintenance/physiology; Pregnancy, Animal/*physiology; Receptors, Odorant/*physiology; Recognition (Psychology)/*physiology; Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Smell/*physiology; Urine/physiology; Vomeronasal Organ/cytology/physiology
Abstract Individual recognition is an important component of behaviors, such as mate choice and maternal bonding that are vital for reproductive success. This article highlights recent developments in our understanding of the chemosensory cues and the neural pathways involved in individuality discrimination in rodents. There appear to be several types of chemosensory signal of individuality that are influenced by the highly polymorphic families of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins or major urinary proteins (MUPs). Both have the capability of binding small molecules and may influence the individual profile of these chemosignals in biological fluids such as urine, skin secretions, or saliva. Moreover, these proteins, or peptides associated with them, can be taken up into the vomeronasal organ (VNO) where they can potentially interact directly with the vomeronasal receptors. This is particularly interesting given the expression of major histocompatibility complex Ib proteins by the V2R class of vomeronasal receptor and the highly selective responses of accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) mitral cells to strain identity. These findings are consistent with the role of the vomeronasal system in mediating individual discrimination that allows mate recognition in the context of the pregnancy block effect. This is hypothesized to involve a selective increase in the inhibitory control of mitral cells in the accessory olfactory bulb at the first level of processing of the vomeronasal stimulus.
Address Sub-Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Cambridge, Madingley, Cambridge CB3 8AA, UK. pab23@cus.cam.ac.uk
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0018-506X ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15325224 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4191
Permanent link to this record