Effects of repeated stress during pregnancy in ewes on the behavioural and physiological responses to stressful events and birth weight of their offspring.

Stressors are frequently encountered during the pregnancies of farm animals. However, very few studies have investigated the effects of repeated stress in pregnant females on their offspring. Forty-eight ewes at 2.5 months of pregnancy were selected for their high or low cortisol response to isolation. Half of the ewes were subjected, twice a week during the last 5 weeks of gestation, to isolation. The first isolation bout of each week consisted only of isolation from conspecifics, while the second bout of each week consisted of isolation in the presence of a dog. The cortisol responses of ewes were measured during the treatment. The other half of the ewes was drafted and released without further disturbance. The emotional reactivity of the lambs to a light contrast test, a startling stimulus test and a social isolation test were studied at 25 days of age. The lambs were retested at 8 months of age in the same tests and also in a novel arena and a novel object tests. Cardiac responses to the startling stimulus were studied at 8 months of age. Basal cortisol concentrations and cortisol response after the isolation test were studied at both ages and cortisol response to ACTH was studied at 25 days of age. Ewes repeatedly exposed to the treatment of isolation plus presence of a dog habituated to the treatment. Moreover, the initial differences between the high and low reactivity ewes were not apparent when the stress treatment was subsequently imposed. Lambs prenatally stressed were heavier at birth than control lambs. The prenatally stressed lambs showed more exploration and locomotion in the behavioural tests at 8 months of age but not at 25 days of age. At 25 days of age, the basal cortisol concentrations were higher in the prenatally stressed lambs compared to the control lambs. Whereas these results suggest that mild prenatal stress of lambs has no adverse effect on the behavioural and cortisol responses to a range of stressors, there is evidence that this treaIn: Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 85, nr. 3-4, pp. 259-276, 3/25/2004Stressors are frequently encountered during the pregnancies of farm animals. However, very few studies have investigated the effects of repeated stress in pregnant females on their offspring. Forty-eight ewes at 2.5 months of pregnancy were selected for their high or low cortisol response to isolation. Half of the ewes were subjected, twice a week during the last 5 weeks of gestation, to isolation. The first isolation bout of each week consisted only of isolation from conspecifics, while the second bout of each week consisted of isolation in the presence of a dog. The cortisol responses of ewes were measured during the treatment. The other half of the ewes was drafted and released without further disturbance. The emotional reactivity of the lambs to a light contrast test, a startling stimulus test and a social isolation test were studied at 25 days of age. The lambs were retested at 8 months of age in the same tests and also in a novel arena and a novel object tests. Cardiac responses to the startling stimulus were studied at 8 months of age. Basal cortisol concentrations and cortisol response after the isolation test were studied at both ages and cortisol response to ACTH was studied at 25 days of age. Ewes repeatedly exposed to the treatment of isolation plus presence of a dog habituated to the treatment. Moreover, the initial differences between the high and low reactivity ewes were not apparent when the stress treatment was subsequently imposed. Lambs prenatally stressed were heavier at birth than control lambs. The prenatally stressed lambs showed more exploration and locomotion in the behavioural tests at 8 months of age but not at 25 days of age. At 25 days of age, the basal cortisol concentrations were higher in the prenatally stressed lambs compared to the control lambs. Whereas these results suggest that mild prenatal stress of lambs has no adverse effect on the behavioural and cortisol responses to a range of stressors, there is evidence that this treaOnderzoeksbibliografie Frank OdbergHerkomst: Onderzoeksbibliografie van em. prof. dr. Frank O. Ödberg, verbonden aan de Vakgroep Voeding, Genetica en Ethologie van de Faculteit Diergeneeskund