STRESS RESULTING OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON SHEEP HERDS

M, Naglaa, M.; Emeash, H. H.; El-Bably, M. A.; A., Safa Nadi,

doi:10.21608/ejsgs.2012.27012

STRESS RESULTING OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON SHEEP HERDS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Fac.Vet.Med, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef Gov. Egypt.

² Anim. Prod. Res. institute, Agri. Res. Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/ejsgs.2012.27012

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The present study was conducted to study the effect of some management practices applied in sheep farms on behaviors performance. Thirty five lambs with average weight of 5.8 ± 0.5 kg and age 15±1.6 days and thirty eight ewes lambs with average weight of 28±0.5kg in the first or second shearing seasons.
Behaviour standing idle and recumbence frequency were higher (P<0.05) significantly in castrated and docked lambs in comparison with control.
There was significant (p<0.001) decreased in walking behaviour in docked and castrated lambs, while calling behavior was significant (P<0.01) increase in comparison with control group
Suckling behaviour were significantly (P<0.01) decrease in docked (1.0) and castrated (2.4) lambs were significant (P<0.01) decrease than control (4.8) group, while no significant difference in try suckling and water drinking among the studied groups. Conversely, there was a significant (P<.01) difference in feeding behaviour between groups.
Abnormal standing was significantly (P<0.01) increased with in castrated lambs (9.4) followed by docked lambs (8.8) were significant (P<0.01) increased in comparison with control (0.4) group. There was a significant (P<0.01) difference in abnormal lying between castrated (1.7) and docked lambs (0.5) lambs while it was not recorded in the control group.
There was no significant difference in ADG between groups during the period from birth to weaning except in the fourth week of age where a significant (P<0.05) increase in ADG noticed in docked (200.0g) than control (60.09g) lambs.There was no significant difference in behaviour of shorn and unshorn ewes except in grooming behaviour which was significantly (P<0.001) in increased in shorn than unshorn ewes which was 10.3 in shorn and 1.3 in un shorn. Docking and castration might be more favorable compared untreated one.