The effect of a mother's rank on her offspring's pre-weaning rank in farmed red deer

摘要: Maternal rank ‘‘inheritance’’ occurs in cercopithecine primates, spotted hyenas and several ungulates. A recently observed positive relationship between dominance of a mother that her sub-adult offspring wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) suggests maternal also this species. This may be caused by various factors. We have focused on one them. Presuming an will ‘‘inherit’’ the its mother, we hypothesized support directing attacks towards peers offspring. three groups hinds calves (hinds/calvesn = 18/7, 18/10 28/14, respectively). Observation took place since 3rd month up to 11th calves’ age. recorded 8339 agonistic encounters. The animal was assessed fighting success. success increased with (GLMM, F (1,31) 29.88, P 0.0001) offspring’s birth body weight 22.72, 0.0001). Milk (females surviving calf) attacked other more often than yeld without did. aggressiveness milk (2,164) 11.68, Although events when intervened behalf offspring, it seems mothers affected their rather indirectly weight, timing delivery, etc. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.