Changes in Sheep Behavior before Lambing

Beatrice E. Waters, John McDonagh, Georgios Tzimiropoulos, Kimberley R. Slinger, Zoë J. Huggett and Matt J. Bell
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Beatrice E. Waters: School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK
John McDonagh: School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Nottingham NG8 1BB, UK
Georgios Tzimiropoulos: School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
Kimberley R. Slinger: School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK
Zoë J. Huggett: School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK
Matt J. Bell: Agriculture Department, Hartpury University, Gloucester GL19 3BE, UK

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the duration and frequency of behavioral observations of pregnant ewes as they approached lambing. An understanding of behavioral changes before birth may provide opportunities for enhanced visual monitoring at this critical stage in the animal’s life. Behavioral observations for 17 ewes in late pregnancy were recorded during two separate time periods, which were 4 to 6 weeks before lambing and before giving birth. It was normal farm procedure for the sheep to come indoors for 6 weeks of close monitoring before lambing. The behaviors of standing, lying, walking, shuffling and contraction behaviors were recorded for each animal during both time periods. Over both time periods, the ewes spent a large proportion of their time either lying (0.40) or standing (0.42), with a higher frequency of standing (0.40) and shuffling (0.28) bouts than other behaviors. In the time period before giving birth, the frequency of lying and contraction bouts increased and the standing and walking bouts decreased, with a higher frequency of walking bouts in ewes that had an assisted lambing. The monitoring of behavioral patterns, such as lying and contractions, could be used as an alert to the progress of parturition.

Keywords: behavior; birth; management; observations; sheep (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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