Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca 62209, Mexico.
Department of Molecular Biology and Chemical Communication, Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), 84400 Apt, France.
División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa 86040, Mexico.
Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Campus, Mexico City 04960, Mexico.
Animal Behaviour and Welfare Department, Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), 84400 Apt, France.
Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Campus, Mexico City 04960, Mexico.
Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM), Cuautitlán, Mexico.
Division of Biotechnology—Bioterio and Experimental Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra (INR-LGII), Tlalpan, Mexico City 14389, Mexico.
Scuola di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Potenza, Italy.
División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa 86040, Mexico.
Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Campus, Mexico City 04960, Mexico.
In several species of mammals, allonursing is a common practice in which maternal care of nonfilial offspring is provided. Allonursing benefits both mothers and young people. Although this phenomenon is not frequently observed in ungulates, different authors have reported this behavior in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). However, it is still unclear why animals engage in alloparenting and, particularly, allosuckling when milk production has a high energetic cost. To explain this, several hypotheses have been proposed to understand the benefits that can be represented for the dam (e.g., improve maternal skill or milk evacuation) and the reasons that may motivate young people to be fed from nonfilial mothers (e.g., compensate for deficient milk intake). This review aims to discuss allomaternal care in Bubalus bubalis to understand how allonursing helps both females and offspring. Studies concerning allonursing are still limited in water buffalo, but current research suggests that some of the hypotheses to explain this strategy are parenting and compensation, among others.
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