Social Attachment-Sheep
Maternal experience in multiparous ewes enhances maternal responsiveness.
- it increases the rate at which ewes bond with their lambs: multiparous ewes selectively bond with their lambs within 2 hours, while primiparous ewes require 4 to 6 hours to bond with their lambs
- it increases the amount of oxytocin that is released within the olfactory bulbs: oxytocin release within the olfactory bulbs at parturition is much greater in multiparous ewes than in primiparous ewes
- it increases the ability of oxytocin to increase release of NE even without hormonal priming associated with pregnancy: administration of oxytocin into the olfactory bulbs of multiparous ewes (not currently pregnant) stimulates NE release within the olfactory bulbs, but this effect is not observed in nulliparous ewes (ewes that were never pregnant)
- it underlies numerous differences that exist between primiparous and multiparous ewes: Ex. blocking “neural transmission” associated with VCS blocks maternal behavior in 90% of primiparous ewes but only in 25% of multiparous ewes; multiparous ewes are less dependent upon VCS to stimulate oxytocin release and to activate maternal behavior