MATERNAL „IMPRINTING” IN GOATS

Abstract

Immediate separation of kids from their mothers upon parturition for periods as short as 1 hr. leads to a rejection of the young by the mother. Five minutes of contact following parturition prevents this rejection, even in tests following separations of as long as 3 hr. In multiple births, mothers do not discriminate between their own kids, but do discriminate between them and alien young. Vision is not involved. Presumably, a form of olfactory imprinting occurs.