This is an activity that requires direct or indirect observations. It is probably done easiest with video camera. Many smart phones have APPS that will expose one frame at any time interval you set. So if you took 1 frame every 10 seconds, you would get 6 frames per minute and then you can view and estimate duration. Of course you can use more advanced technology or have volunteer observers that watch the animals continuously. The animals to be observed must be in easy view of the camera or observer, and you might consider using red lights at night to make observations.
For measurement of suckling duration per bout first you should measure the size of buccal cavity by using fluid method, or you can use water, measure three regular bouts with full air, next three readings minimum and next three median, now go for average , you will get your accurate volume which are requiring.
Wishes for all !
Aram this is nice question and good luck....... I would like to ask d-r Upadhyay, where to find some manual with detail description of this buccal fluid method, because I m interesting to do some similar research with growth-rate at lambs and goat-lings.....thanks in advance
I have been engaged in a number of studies in which "weigh-suckle-weigh" was used to measure milk production in suckled cows. In this case, the calf is weighed and then allowed to suckle and then weighed again. This estimates the amount of milk the cow produced during two consecutive sucklings. I am not familiar with buccal cavity measurement and do not understand how a suckling bout is related to size of the buccal cavity. Calves swallow during nursing, so the cavity is emptied several times during a nursing bout.
dear mouhamed ahmed,
The effect of age, lactation number, s ex and birth type on s uckling and
nurs ing behaviour of Karayaka lambs
Suckling bout is measured in frequency. It is actually the period in which the lamb had the ewe’s teat in its mouth for 5 seconds or more. If sucking stopped and started again within 5 seconds, then only 1 bout was scored. A new bout was scored if the interval was more than 5 seconds (Cimen, 2007).
Whereas, total suckling duration is the sum of all sucking bout duration in the observation period (Hess et al., 1974).
The mean suckling bout duration is the total sucking duration divided by the number of sucking bouts in the observation period.
If you want to record this, you have to go for direct observation or video recording.
You may go through the literature, "The sucking behaviour and milk intake of 8-17 day old triplet lambs after 4 hours of separation from the ewe"
A "suckling bout" was defined as the period the pup suckled, including any short (
Dear professor Jack Britt
I always admire on your comments and answers and I m your follower...I agree with your sugestion in this topic, mine question is if this measurment before and after suckling will give also mothers milk production capacity as an indirect control???? I think that this very hard method in practice, maybe that I m relativelly young researcher and practicant :(
Thanks a lot of also to respected researchers Prakash and Kalyan De for the answers
Best wishes
Vesna
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