Data from: Long-term and trans-generational effects of neonatal experience on sheep behaviour

Early life experiences can have profound long-term, and sometimes trans-generational, effects on individual phenotypes. However, there is a relative paucity of knowledge about effects on pain sensitivity, even though these may impact on an individual’s health and welfare, particularly in farm animals exposed to painful husbandry procedures. Here, we tested in sheep whether neonatal painful and non-painful challenges can alter pain sensitivity in adult life, and also in the next generation. Ewes exposed to tail-docking or a simulated mild infection (lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) on days 3-4 of life showed higher levels of pain-related behaviour when giving birth as adults compared to control animals. LPS-treated ewes also gave birth to lambs who showed decreased pain sensitivity in standardised tests during days 2-3 of life. Our results demonstrate long-term and trans-generational effects of neonatal experience on pain responses in a commercially important species, and suggest that variations in early-life management can have important implications for animal health and welfare.早期生命经历可对个体表型（phenotype）产生深远的长期影响，部分情况下甚至具有跨代效应。然而，目前学界对早期经历如何影响痛觉敏感性（pain sensitivity）的认知仍相对匮乏，尽管这类影响可能会对个体的健康与福利造成显著影响，对于需要接受有创畜牧操作的农场动物而言尤为如此。本研究以绵羊为实验对象，探究新生期的痛性与非痛性应激刺激是否会改变个体成年后的痛觉敏感性，以及该影响是否可传递至子代。与对照组母羊相比，新生3-4日龄时接受断尾术（tail-docking）或模拟轻度感染（脂多糖（lipopolysaccharide, LPS））处理的母羊，在成年后分娩时表现出更为强烈的痛相关行为。经LPS处理的母羊所产的羔羊，在新生2-3日龄的标准化痛觉测试中表现出痛觉敏感性降低的特征。本研究结果证实，新生期经历对具有重要经济价值的物种的痛觉反应存在长期及跨代效应，同时表明早期饲养管理的差异可能对动物健康与福利产生重要影响。