Behavioural interactions between West African dwarf nanny goats and their twin-born kids during the first 48 h post-partum

West African dwarf nanny goats and their twin-born kids were tested to dete rmine their behavioural response to separation and their mutual recognition during the first 48 h post-partum. Does and their kids were given scores r anging from 1 to 5, depending on how they performed in the tests. Animals t hat showed maximum response and recognition ability were given a score of 5 , while those with minimum response and recognition ability scored 1. The k ids were prevented from sucking 2 h prior to the tests, which were carried out at 18, 24, 36 and 48 h post-partum. Chi-square procedure was used to de termine whether age, sex and birthweight of kids as well as hours post-part um and parity of darns had any effect on these post-partum behaviours. Out of 48 twin-born kids tested, 32 (67%) responded actively to separation from dams (i.e. had scores of 3 or more). The age, sex and birthweight of kids did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) their response to separation from t heir dams. The hours post-partum and the parity of does also did not affect their response to separation from their kids. The dam recognition ability of twin-born kids was very poor. Out of a total of 48 kids tested, only 17 (35%) were able to recognize their dams (i.e. had scores of 3 or more). Eve n at 36 h, only four out of 14 (26%) could recognize their dams. It was onl y at 48 h that the majority of kids tested (i.e. 75%) successfully identifi ed their darns. At 48 h, the dam recognition ability of kids was significan tly better(P < 0.05) than that of 18-h-old kids. Sex and birthweight of 24- 48-h-old twin-born kids did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) their abili ty to recognize their dams. The majority of does tested (i.e. 20 out of 24) were able to recognize their twin-born kids. The hour post-parturn and par ity or does did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) their kid recognition a bility. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.