title: Exposure to a novel feedstuff by goat dams during pregnancy and lactation versus pregnancy alone does not further improve post-weaning acceptance of this feedstuff by their kids.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous experiments demonstrated the existence of in utero learning in goats. However, in contrast to other animal species, in goats there is no information about the potential of flavour transmission from maternal feed to goat kids during lactation. The aim of the current study was to assess the role of post-natal exposure of Chromonaela odorata leaf meal (COLM) in relation to the preferences to this feedstuff by goat kids after weaning. It was hypothesised that exposure of COLM to the dams during both pregnancy and lactation versus pregnancy alone, additionally affects post-weaning intake of COLM by their offspring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consumption of COLM by the goat kids was similar during the first week post-weaning for all treatments. However, after 4 weeks the intake of COLM was at least 1.8 times greater when kids were exposed to COLM during pregnancy whereas it remained virtually unchanged when kids were exposed to COLM during lactation only. The increase in COLM consumption was in line with the observations on latency to eat and meal size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transmission of feeding behaviour from goat dams to offspring does not occur during lactation. However, the concept of in utero learning in goats was confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung St, Hue, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Phan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vu Hai
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.151, 3508, TD, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Thomas
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Schonewille
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, 102 Phung Hung St, Hue, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Tien
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dam Van
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.151, 3508, TD, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Everts
authors.affiliation: Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.151, 3508, TD, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wouter H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Hendriks
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000502:physiology*; D007774:Lactation; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
keywords: Chromonaela odorata; feeding behaviour; goat kids; pregnancy