Concurrent Lactation and Pregnancy: Pregnant Domestic Horse Mares Do Not Increase Mother-Offspring Conflict during Intensive Lactation

摘要: Lactation is the most energy demanding part of parental care in mammals, so parent-offspring conflict arises over milk provided by mother. In some species females commonly become pregnant shortly after parturition previous young. This further intensifies mother-offspring due to concurrent pregnancy and lactation. equids it has been well established that wean their foals earlier than non-pregnant ones. Intensified was presumed associate with also during period intensive lactation, i.e., before weaning process starts. We investigated effect on suckling behaviour characteristics as indicators domestic horses. Contrary expectation, here we provide evidence a decreased related lactating first two trimesters pregnancy. Pregnant mares longer bouts did not reject or terminate more often mares. Our results suggest cope parallel investment into nursed foal foetus through enhancing nursing early stages initially low requirements increase. They compensate perspective its ongoing