Maternal behaviour in goats

The present study was conducted for the descriptionand analysis of the mother - young interaction among animportant milk and progney producing Egyptian Goat (Zariby).In the present investigation attention was directed also toassay the level of prolactin hormone in the serum of does,2 weeks before parturition and immedia~ely after labour aswell as at intervals till• 2 weeks after.’parturi tion. Prola-!. ctin hormone was determined by biologic~l assay method.This experiment was carried. out on 20 does, one buck- ,~.. 1and their kids. The does were 1-3 years old and their weightIranged from 30-40 Kg. The results obtained revealed that:(I) The percentage of all does walked in Circles, pawed theground, licked herself and vocalized before labour were77.8 55.6, 77.8 and 66.7 respeoti,vely.(2) ’I’he percentage of does, lied down, stood pawed at groundlickedherself,and vocalized dur~ng labour were 77.8,22.2, 16.7, 61.1 and 77.8respec~ively.(:3) Most single kids bleated. after 1•96.± 0.27 minutes andtwin kids bleated after 3.17 .± 1.3’ minutes.(4) Some 9.83 .± 0.72 minutes after birth kids first attemptedto stand ( Single kids), while twin kids attempted tost~nd after l5.2.± 2.01 minutes.