No subject

Wed Feb 2 07:52:04 EST 2005

(perhaps 1950?); coined by Karl Max Schneider a German biologist and 
zoologist.  The term was used to describe a "grimace", "contortion" or turned up nose 
expression in lions and tigers.  It has since been observed in other species 
including ungulates and sheep.  The basis for the grimace expression is a 
purposeful nasal contorsion to enhance the detection or enhancement of odors by 
drawing them to special recpetors in the front of the nasal cavity.  Often this 
is done by licking urine but can be picked up in the air.  While this odor 
recpetor was first discovered by Jacobson a Danish biologist it was later 
identified as a pheromone receptor ... it is also called the vermeronasal organ... and 
is associated with the flehmen behavior.  Flehmen is most often used by rams 
over ewes but may be observed among ram groups and among a few ewes. Flehmen 
is turning on the vermeronasal radar system looking for the right pheromones.  
One pupose of the vermeronasal organ among ewes is to identify their lambs. 
The ram behavior is his way of determining the anestrous or estrous state of the 
ewe.  

The Laufenschlag is a compund word; laufen is a "walk or gait", schlagen is a 
"striking, kicking or whipping".  Thus the straight leg kicking behavior.  
The laufenschlag is performed mainly by dominant rams on any subordinate sheep 
regardless of age or sex.  Older rams kick more frequently than younger rams.  
If the "kickee" is prone or resting, the laufenschlag may be a "pawing" 
behavior. It is rarely performed by ewes; if so by dominant ewes.

If interested, these behaviors and another dozen ram behaviors have been 
categorized and described over the past 30 years by Velarius Geist and other 
authors.

Fred Horak

--part1_17e.204f1d96.2c9bad58_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT  SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=
=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">From what I have read, the behavior term "flehmen" is=20=
of rather recent origin (perhaps 1950?); coined by Karl Max Schneider a Germ=
an biologist and zoologist.&nbsp; The term was used to describe a "grimace",=
 "contortion" or turned up nose expression in lions and tigers.&nbsp; It has=
 since been observed in other species including ungulates and sheep.&nbsp; T=
he basis for the grimace expression is a purposeful nasal contorsion to enha=
nce the detection or enhancement of odors by drawing them to special recpeto=
rs in the front of the nasal cavity.&nbsp; Often this is done by licking uri=
ne but can be picked up in the air.&nbsp; While this odor recpetor was first=
 discovered by Jacobson a Danish biologist it was later identified as a pher=
omone receptor ... it is also called the vermeronasal organ... and is associ=
ated with the flehmen behavior.&nbsp; Flehmen is most often used by rams ove=
r ewes but may be observed among ram groups and among a few ewes. Flehmen is=
 turning on the vermeronasal radar system looking for the right pheromones.&=
nbsp; One pupose of the vermeronasal organ among ewes is to identify their l=
ambs. The ram behavior is his way of determining the anestrous or estrous st=
ate of the ewe.&nbsp; <BR>
<BR>
The Laufenschlag is a compund word; laufen is a "walk or gait", schlagen is=20=
a "striking, kicking or whipping".&nbsp; Thus the straight leg kicking behav=
ior.&nbsp; The laufenschlag is performed mainly by dominant rams on any subo=
rdinate sheep regardless of age or sex.&nbsp; Older rams kick more frequentl=
y than younger rams.&nbsp; If the "kickee" is prone or resting, the laufensc=
hlag may be a "pawing" behavior. It is rarely performed by ewes; if so by do=
minant ewes.<BR>
<BR>
If interested, these behaviors and another dozen ram behaviors have been cat=
egorized and described over the past 30 years by Velarius Geist and other au=
thors.<BR>
<BR>
Fred Horak<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
--part1_17e.204f1d96.2c9bad58_boundary--