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Long-term and trans-generational effects of neonatal experience on sheep behaviour
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Clark, Corinna C. A., Murrell, Joanna, Fernyhough, Mia, O'Rourke, Treasa and Mendl, M. (Michael) (2015) Long-term and trans-generational effects of neonatal experience on sheep behaviour. Biology letters, 10 (7). pp. 1-4. 20140273. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2014.0273 ISSN 1744-9561.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2014.0273
Abstract
Early life experiences can have profound long-term, and sometimes trans-generational, effects on individual phenotypes. However, there is a relative paucity of knowledge about effects on pain sensitivity, even though these may impact on an individual's health and welfare, particularly in farm animals exposed to painful husbandry procedures. Here, we tested in sheep whether neonatal painful and non-painful challenges can alter pain sensitivity in adult life, and also in the next generation. Ewes exposed to tail-docking or a simulated mild infection (lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) on days 3–4 of life showed higher levels of pain-related behaviour when giving birth as adults compared with control animals. LPS-treated ewes also gave birth to lambs who showed decreased pain sensitivity in standardized tests during days 2–3 of life. Our results demonstrate long-term and trans-generational effects of neonatal experience on pain responses in a commercially important species and suggest that variations in early life management can have important implications for animal health and welfare.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||||
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Subjects: | S Agriculture > SF Animal culture | ||||||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Life Sciences (2010- ) | ||||||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Pain in animals, Sheep -- Behavior | ||||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Biology letters | ||||||||
Publisher: | Royal Society | ||||||||
ISSN: | 1744-9561 | ||||||||
Official Date: | 3 June 2015 | ||||||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | 10 | ||||||||
Number: | 7 | ||||||||
Number of Pages: | 4 | ||||||||
Page Range: | pp. 1-4 | ||||||||
Article Number: | 20140273 | ||||||||
DOI: | 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0273 | ||||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons) | ||||||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 30 December 2015 | ||||||||
Date of first compliant Open Access: | 30 December 2015 | ||||||||
Funder: | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Great Britain) (BBSRC) |
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