Socially-mediated food transmition in ovine: Hierarchical-conditioning by age as a diet-managing tool in unrelated ruminants during foraging

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Published: Dec 12, 2010
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32348/1852.4206.v2.n3.5245
Keywords:
social conditioning food aversion sheep

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Paul Ruiz Santos
Universidad de la República. Facultad de Psicología.
José Manuel Verdes
Universidad de la República. Facultad de Veterinaria

Abstract

Conditioning of food consumption induced by Lithium Chloride (LiCl) treatment has been reported in different animal species. In ruminants, older animals are capable of transferring selective food aversion to the youngers. The objetive of this study was to determine whether food aversion in adult sheep induced by LiCl can be transmitted to non-relative lambs. Twelve animals, four adult ewes and eight lambs were used. Three ewes were conditioned with LiCl 200 mg/kg BW (orally) to avoid concentrate consumption, while the other one acted as a control. Food consumption of lambs was recorded prior to the trial, to define preconditioned basal consumption. After that, animals were assigned to four groups of one sheep and two lambs each, whose food consumption was recorded for a 20-day period in lairage. Concentrate consumption decreased significantly in those lambs that were grouped with conditioned ewes (p < .01). These results suggest that hierarchical conditioning in sheep would be a useful tool to control diet and consumption of potentially harmful food like toxic plants.

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How to Cite
Ruiz Santos, P., & Verdes, J. M. (2010). Socially-mediated food transmition in ovine: Hierarchical-conditioning by age as a diet-managing tool in unrelated ruminants during foraging. Argentinean Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2(3), 14–20. https://doi.org/10.32348/1852.4206.v2.n3.5245
Issue
Vol 2, No 3 (2010): Revista Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento
Section
Original Articles

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Author Biographies

Paul Ruiz Santos, Universidad de la República. Facultad de Psicología.

Área de Biología y Neuropsicología

José Manuel Verdes, Universidad de la República. Facultad de Veterinaria

Área de Biofísica

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