[Jacob-list] Recognition:

[Jacobflock at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/10/02 12:03:32 PM Central Daylight Time, ACAMDA at aol.com 
writes:


> This was in my e-mail this morning, and I thought it was cool!
> 
> "Sheeps can recognize other sheep faces like humans do.  They 
>    can remember up to 50 sheep faces."
> 
> Not sure how they figured it out, but it's something to think about! 
> 
The recognition of Jacob ewes and lambs, and the visusal recognition of sheep 
by other sheep, memory and response has been the subject of several studies.  
Some Listers may have read the several Jacob articles on this behavior over 
the years.

The ewe - new lamb vocalizations (some call it 'knickering') at birth begins 
a vocal imprinting process that might be characterized as "that's Mom" or 
"that's the kid again" ... The ewe nicker/bleat is unique as is the lamb's.  
Each has a unique 'tone' and 'accent' .... the formants, amplitutde and 
harmonics are unique.   In field observations, the voice is so unique that 
'bleats' made while grazing are recognized ... bleating with your mouth full 
is encouraged ...

The vocal cues are 'attention getters'.  The 'attention getters' initiate a 
"I'm over here" response and a "look at me when I 'baa'" response.  The body 
and/or head turns to the recognized vocalization.  The next step is a visual 
recognition and approach ... lamb to ewe or vice versa ... sheep to sheep ... 
 The visual cues are the crux of the "recognition" and "approach". The visual 
'recognition' is followed by the 'approach' ... family members recognize 
other family members .... avoid strangers ... accept 'repeat' strangers.  
Behavior is fascinating ... and mysterious when it is looked at closely.

We generally like to lump lambing experiences into the wonderful "Jacob 
maternal ability" ... but we also should consider "the Jacob lamb 
survivability" ... and their "loose flocking" with sibling memory and 
recognition of each other, (ewe AND lamb / sheep AND sheep / sheep and people 
/ etc.).    I suspect there is something to "they stopped at fifty"... and 
they are a bit smarter.

These behaviors are rooted in genetic/bio/chemical mechanisms.  The 
polypeptides (like cholecsytokinin, CCK ) and the genes that set this in 
motion are not experiences but are a sine qua non for experiencing the 
behavior ... and these behaviors differ by breed.   Fred Horak

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