Do Reproductive Status and Lamb Gender Affect the Foraging Behavior of Bighorn Ewes?

摘要: In female ungulates lactation carries a high energetic cost and mothers often devote more care to sons than daughters. The aims of this study were determine whether lactating bighorn ewes have higher foraging time, bite rate or selectivity forage barren reproductive status affects migration patterns. Ewes with male lambs predicted spend time lambs. There no differences in behavior according ewe from April August. September November had spent nonlactating but lamb gender did not affect behavior. Lactating gained less weight ones until mid-August; mid-August late mass gain was similar for both groups ewes. Nonlactating standing vigilance step while foraging. differ rate. Pregnant migrated earlier alpine areas spring. By so doing they abandoned good quality presumably give birth safer predation. All most the summer range hut returned winter ewes, probably profit abundant there.