The influence of lameness and individuality on movement patterns in sheep.

Autor: Doughty AK; University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia; CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia. Electronic address: amanda.doughty@une.edu.au., Horton BJ; CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia; Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, 7250, Australia., Huyen NTD; University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia., Ballagh CR; University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia; CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia., Corkrey R; Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, 7005, Australia., Hinch GN; University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia; CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Behavioural processes [Behav Processes] 2018 Jun; Vol. 151, pp. 34-38. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Mar 07.
DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.03.008
Abstrakt: We investigated how individuality and lameness altered social organisation by assessing food-directed movement patterns in sheep. One hundred and ninety-six mature Merino ewes were walked in 16 different runs around a 1.1 km track following a food source. Flock position and lameness were measured and temperament was assessed using an Isolation Box Test. The mean value for the correlations of position between a run and the run preceding it was r = 0.55 ± SEM 0.03. All correlations between runs were positive (r = 0.08-0.76) and all but two were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The weakest and least statistically significant correlations were for run 14: where all 16 runs were conducted approximately 3 times a week, except with an interval of 20 weeks between runs 13 and 14. Additionally, there were differences in overall positions for a lame versus a non-lame individual (all P < 0.05) with lame sheep being further back in position when compared to their non-lame mean positions. These results indicate the movement patterns, as measured by flock position during a food-directed forced movement order are relatively stable provided tests occur frequently, possibly on a bi-weekly basis. However, further work will be required to better account for individual animal variation.
(Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: