Maternal and neonatal factors affecting neonatal behaviour in West African Dwarf goats

There is a paucity of information on neonatal behaviour of tropical livestock species despite its adaptive value. One hundred and ninety West African Dwarf (WAD) kids and their mothers were studied to establish the influence of neonatal and maternal factors on neonatal behaviour. Environmental temperatures and relative humidity (RH) at birth were also recorded. Single born kids and those dropped by older and multiparous mothers sucked earlier (p < 0.05). Vigour levels were higher (p < 0.05) in kids dropped by multiparous does and those whose grooming commenced earlier than those dropped by primiparous does and those with long latency to groom, respectively. Moderate negative correlations (p < 0.01) existed between duration of grooming and birthweight and duration of grooming and latency to groom. Similarly, strong and positive correlations (p < 0.01) existed between duration of grooming and neonatal vigour and time of first successful sucking and number of attempts at standing postpartum. Moderate positive correlations (p < 0.01) existed between time of first successful standing and number of attempts at standing postpartum, birthweight and vigour, rectal and ambient temperatures, latency to groom and birthweight, latency to groom and time of first successful sucking postpartum and number of attempts at sucking and time of first successful sucking postpartum. Strong negative correlations (p < 0.01) existed between RH and latency to groom (p < 0.01) and latency to groom and number of attempts at standing postpartum. Maternal care was higher in WAD goats during periods of higher RH and also in vulnerable and low birth weight kids.