Space Availability in Confined Sheep during Pregnancy, Effects in Movement Patterns and Use of Space

Xavier Averós, Areta Lorea, Ignacia Beltrán de Heredia, Josune Arranz, Roberto Ruiz and Inma Estevez

PLOS ONE, 2014, vol. 9, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: Space availability is essential to grant the welfare of animals. To determine the effect of space availability on movement and space use in pregnant ewes (Ovis aries), 54 individuals were studied during the last 11 weeks of gestation. Three treatments were tested (1, 2, and 3 m2/ewe; 6 ewes/group). Ewes' positions were collected for 15 minutes using continuous scan samplings two days/week. Total and net distance, net/total distance ratio, maximum and minimum step length, movement activity, angular dispersion, nearest, furthest and mean neighbour distance, peripheral location ratio, and corrected peripheral location ratio were calculated. Restriction in space availability resulted in smaller total travelled distance, net to total distance ratio, maximum step length, and angular dispersion but higher movement activity at 1 m2/ewe as compared to 2 and 3 m2/ewe (P

Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0094767

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094767

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