Resumen

MEDEIROS, Loren da Silva; RODRIGUES, Paula Da Silva; SAMPAIO, Ana Claudia Silva  y  BERNARDI, Maria Martha. The maternal environment influences the ponderal development and the viability of the offspring of rats but does not alter maternal care. Cad. Pós-Grad. Distúrb. Desenvolv. [online]. 2020, vol.20, n.1, pp. 176-191. ISSN 1519-0307.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5935/cadernosdisturbios.v20n1p176-191.

Maternal behavior aims to ensure the survival and development of the offspring and variations in the environment or the number of pups can lead to changes in the development of the offspring. This study evaluated the influence of an unfavorable maternal environment and the reduction of the litter in maternal care and in the offspring viability and weight gain of offspring. Lactating rats were divided into three groups: C - control group kept in cages with 100% shavings and standardized litters in 8 pups; E1 - experimental group 1 in which litters were standardized in 4 puppies keeping 100% of the shavings in the cage; E2 - experimental group 2 kept in cages with a 60% reduction in the amount of wood shavings and 8 hatchlings. Between days 5-7 of lactation, general activity and maternal behavior were observed. The weight gain of the offspring was evaluated on days 4, 10 and 21 of lactation. In relation to group C, it was found that: 1. the maternal care of the puppies was not modified; 2. mothers in group E1 had a longer auto-grooming time; 3. mothers in the E2 group had higher frequency, total time and maximum auto-grooming time; 4. the offspring of the E1 group showed greater weight gain; 5. the offspring of the E2 group showed no changes in weight gain but an increased mortality. The reduction of the litter promoted greater weight gain of the offspring while the lower availability of shavings did not influence the weight gain of the offspring. In both conditions, maternal care was not modified. The increase in maternal auto-grooming in the E2 group can be interpreted as a sign of maternal stress and only the increased time of the auto-grooming in the E1 group suggest a reduce response to stress.

Palabras clave : Behavior; Weight gain; Maternal behavior; Animal cleanliness; Motor activity.

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