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| The loudest lambs have the best chance of survival. Photo: AFP |
French scientists have provided evidence supporting what shepherds have intuitively known for thousands of years: the loudest and most vocal lambs have the best chances of survival.
A team at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research used digital recording devices to capture the bleating sounds of young sheep, analyzing the responses of their mothers.
They discovered that within 24 hours of birth, mother sheep could recognize the bleating of their lambs, and within 38 hours, the lambs could identify their mother’s bleat, allowing them to crawl towards her for milk.
Audio files stored on computers revealed that each lamb has a unique tone, differing in nuances and pitch, enabling the mother and lamb to recognize each other even in a noisy, crowded flock.
“The lambs that communicate best will have the highest chance of survival,” said Frederic Sebe, a researcher from the Institute.
T. An
