INFLUENCE OF A CONSPECIFIC IMAGE OF OWN VS DIFFERENT BREED ON FEAR REACTIONS OF EWES

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.