BEHAVIOR OF THE MURCIANO-GRANADINA GOAT DURING THE FIRST HOUR AFTER PARTURITION

The behaviour of 40 multiparous goats of Murciano-Granadina breed were recorded for the first hour after birth. Data obtained were subjected to Chi-square tests and one way analyses of variance. Does and kids ( 15 of single-birth and 25 of twin-birth) began a series of vocal inter changes within minutes of the young's expulsion. The majority of does directed their first sniffings and lickings at their kids' heads (49/6 5 and 48/65 observations, respectively), there being no significant di fferences with regard to the type of birth (single or twin). First sni ffing took place immediately after birth (8.7 +/- 0.8 s for single-bir th does and 9.7 +/- 0.6 s for twin-birth does, not significantly diffe rent). The first licking of the newborns took place immediately after the first sniffing (13.3 +/- 1.0 s both single-and twin-birth does). T win-birth does groomed their kids less per kid but more in total (firs t kid, 15.3 +/- 0.6; second one, 13.8 +/- 0.4 and total time, 29.1 +/- 0.6 min) than single-birth does (25.7 +/- 1.4 min). Does remained sta nding during most of the first postpartum hour (50.8 +/- 1.5 min singl e-birth does and 47.2 +/- 1.3 min twin-birth does, there being no sign ificant differences between them). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.