Maternal behaviour is crucial for neonatal survival in mammals. However, providing maternal care may also improve the welfare of the mother, and receiving maternal care shapes the emotional state of the offspring later in life.

New insight about how management, housing, genetic and nutritional factors influence maternal care are presented in this interesting session.

Also, new and interesting insights into the importance of normal suckling behaviour, early life events and nutritional factors for offspring vigour are presented.

One key-note, 8 oral presentations and 15 posters cover these and other hot topics on maternal and neonatal behaviour at ISAE2017.