Dairy Buffalo Behavior: Calving, Imprinting and Allosuckling

Abstract

Maternal behavior, in water buffalo and other ruminants, is a set of patterns of a determined species, including calving, imprinting, and suckling. This behavior is mainly triggered by hormone concentration changes and their interactions with their respective receptors in the brain, particularly oxytocin. These chemical signals also influence mother-young bonding, a critical process for neonatal survival that develops during the first postpartum hours. Currently, dairy buffalo behavior during parturition has rarely been studied. For this reason, this review aims to analyze the existing scientific evidence regarding maternal behavior in water buffalo during calving. It will address the mechanisms of imprinting, maternal care, and allosuckling strategies that may influence the survival and health of calves.

Keywords: allosuckling; imprinting; maternal behavior; nursing; offspring; water buffalo.

Figure 1

Main behavioral patterns during parturition in water buffalo. The exhibition of restlessness, back arching, and tail movements are considered good behavioral signs of the onset of parturition. Lying transitions, tail raising, or grooming are patterns observed during the last parturition stage, and their frequency or time of duration (assessed for 11 h pre-calving and expressed as number of times or min in the pictures) increases during calving.

Figure 2

Maternal and fetal causes of dystocia in buffaloes. (A) Uterine torsion as the main complication during calving due to anatomical aspects such as a weak and underdeveloped broad ligament, as well as a large fetus, low amounts of amniotic fluid, and fetal movements. (B) Fetal–pelvis disproportions and improper positioning of the fetus are causes of dystocia that need to be treated or recognized early to avoid health consequences. (C) Other factors.

Figure 3

Sequential behavior of the licking of newborn water buffalo. (1) The beginning of grooming in the cranial region (nose, ears, mouth), moving towards the back (2) and ending in the anogenital region and limbs (3). This behavior can continue for up to 50 min. Although this is the regular pattern, the authors have detected that licking can start with the limbs and move in a cranial direction.

Figure 4

Factors affecting neonatal survival and characteristics of newborn calves during the first hours of life. The sequence of post-birth behaviors of the calf are numbered inside the figure, where the licking and grooming of the dam encourages the newborn to stand up and suckle. Under normal conditions, the offspring follows this pattern. However, factors such as dystocia, poor maternal care, and hypothermia, among others, can affect calf’s survival.

Figure 5

Effect of colostrum on thermoregulation in the newborn calf (Bubalus bubalis). (A) Lateral facial thermogram of a calf before receiving colostrum. The temperature assessed at the lacrimal caruncle shows an average value of 37.6 °C. In contrast (B), 60 min post-colostrum intake, the same thermal window has an average temperature of 39.0 °C. This represents a gain of 1.2 °C after feeding and rapid obtainment of available energy resources in colostrum. +Sp1: default focal point of the software. Thermal images obtained using a FLIR thermal camera.

Figure 6

Microcirculatory changes in a water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) udder before and after colostrum ejection. (A) Lateral region of the udder before the first colostrum intake. The average temperature of the teat (Li1) is 31.7 °C, a temperature that is lower than the average recorded in the body of the gland, at 34.2 °C. This could be due to the effect of estrogens and the congestion of the mammary gland (MG) before feeding the newborn. (B) After the first colostrum intake, a shift in the average temperatures is observed, where the teat has a 2 °C higher value, and the body of the MG has an average temperature 2.3 °C lower than the one observed in image (A). This effect can be attributed to the effect of colostrum ejection, where the calf stimulates the teat, suckles, and requires a larger supply from this zone. The maximum temperature is illustrated with a red triangle and the minimum with a blue one. Thermal images obtained using a FLIR thermal camera.