The development of the pupillary light reflex and menace response in neonatal lambs and kids

The aim of this study was to investigate the development of the pupillary light reflex and menace response in neonatal lambs and goat kids. Thirty lambs and 33 kids were assessed daily from birth until the pupillary light reflex and menace response had become established. All animals had a controlled pupillary light reflex within 20 h of birth. Lambs and kids had developed menace responses by 8 ± 3 and 14 ± 2 days, respectively. The Mann–Whitney test revealed a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the ages at which lambs and kids developed a menace response. Male kids developed this response significantly (P = 0.006) later than females. There was no sex difference in the menace response in the lambs. Overall, the findings indicated that lambs develop a menace response earlier than kids, and female kids develop this response more rapidly than their male counterparts.