I have wondered how it is possible for ewes to be able to
distinguish their own lambs by odour. In a pen with dozens
of ewes and lambs, they get sorted out quickly. It seems
that there is something in the lambs stools that the mothers
recognize, as the ewes sniff the lambs' rear ends.
With regard to musk and perfumes, I think the importance
of the musk is that it is able to accumulate and retard the
dissipation of the fragrance molecules. I posted a while
back about the high value of whale ambergris in the perfume
industry.