The aim of my doctoral thesis is the detailed study of the behavioural and sociobiological principles associated with the period of lactation. Suckling data covering almost 80 foals of domestic horse (Equus caballus) was obtained within four years of observation in the National Stud in Kladruby nad Labem, Czech Republic. The data were evaluated together with the reproductive history of the mothers, their agonistic interactions and following analysis of the dominance position of subadult foals. The first study describes longer suckling (greater maternal care) in dominant mares compared to submissive ones. Dominant mares are also less disturbed during nursing, whereas they terminated the nursing of submissive mares more often. A possible competitive advantage for the offspring of dominant mares may arise from such behaviour. The second paper enlightens the reproductive strategy of mares facing double maternal investment; suckling of the foal and pregnancy at the same time. I found out, contrary to the expectations, that the pregnant mares neither suckled their foals less nor terminated more suckling compared to non-pregnant herdmates. They may try to compensate their suckling foal with the perspective of its early weaning due to ongoing pregnancy. In the third and fourth manuscript I studied, how...
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nusl.cz/oai:invenio.nusl.cz:328165 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Komárková, Martina |
| Contributors | Bartošová, Jitka, Šumbera, Radim, Vlček, Kamil |
| Source Sets | Czech ETDs |
| Language | Czech |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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