Mf. Bouissou et al., INFLUENCE OF A CONSPECIFIC IMAGE OF OWN VS DIFFERENT BREED ON FEAR REACTIONS OF EWES, Behavioural processes, 38(1), 1996, pp. 37-44
We observed the influence of slide images of conspecifics on fear reac
tions of 12 Romanov and 12 Ile-de-France ewes. Each ewe was individual
ly tested twice in isolation: once in the presence of the projected im
age of an unfamiliar ewe of its own breed, and once when exposed to an
image of a ewe of a different breed. Ewes' responses to a slide of an
individual of their own breed differed consistently from their respon
ses to a slide of the other breed (i.e., they displayed lower fear rea
ctions to their own breed). There was also a significant main effect f
or breed of subject, which reflects breed differences in activity leve
l and/or fearfulness. Differential responses to two-dimensional images
of unfamiliar animals of own versus other breed suggest that the ewes
recognized the characteristics of their breed. Moreover, the manner i
n which ewes responded to the slide projections indicates that those i
mages were perceived as social stimuli.