Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T02:54:02.464Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of shearing on the heat production and activity of sheep receiving dried grass or ground hay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. W. F. Davey  and
C. W. Holmes
A. W. F. Davey
Affiliation:
Dairy Husbandry Department, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
C. W. Holmes
Affiliation:
Dairy Husbandry Department, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Get access

Summary

1. Oxygen consumption was measured in two experiments using castrated Romney male sheep both shorn and unshorn. The sheep were fed either ground hay or dried grass. An ambient temperature of 13°C ± 1°C was maintained at all times. In Experiment 1, oxygen consumption was measured with eight sheep using a respiration chamber and in Experiment 2, oxygen consumption was measured with four sheep using a ventilated hood. The times spent standing, lying, eating and ruminating were measured in Experiment 2. Heat production was calculated from the measured values for oxygen consumption.

2. Heat production increased following shearing in both experiments. In Experiment 1, heat production of the sheep receiving dried grass was significantly greater (P<0·05) on days 1, 8 and 16 following shearing, compared with pre-shearing values. For sheep receiving ground hay, heat production was greater on day 1 (P<0·05) and day 8 (P<0·01) following shearing, compared with pre-shearing values. The mean maximum increase in heat production following shearing was 2·3 MJ/24 hr (25% increase) for sheep receiving dried grass and 1·2 MJ (17%) for those receiving ground hay.

3. The patterns of change in heat production following shearing in Experiment 2 were similar to those observed in Experiment 1 although the maximum increases were smaller: 21% for the sheep receiving dried grass and 13% for those receiving ground hay.

4. The time spent standing increased considerably after shearing and this change in behaviour made a large contribution to the increase in energy expenditure after the sheep were shorn.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , June 1977 , pp. 355 - 361
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 1967. Recommendation A.S.A.E.R. 2461. Yb. Am. Soc. agric. Engrs, p. 301.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L., Graham, N. McC. and Wainman, F. W. 1959. Environmental temperature, energy metabolism and heat regulation in sheep. III. The metabolism and thermal exchanges of sheep with fleeces. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 52: 41–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davey, A. W. F. 1973. The regulation of the voluntary intake of food by sheep. Ph.D. Thesis, Massey University.Google Scholar
Farrell, D. J. and Corbett, J. L. 1970. Fasting heat production of sheep at pasture before and after shearing. Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. 8: 267–271.Google Scholar
Farrell, D. J., Leng, R. A. and Corbett, J. L. 1972. Undernutrition in grazing sheep. II. Calorimetric measurements on sheep taken from pasture. Aust. J. agric. Res. 23: 499–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graham, N. McC. 1964. Energy costs of feeding activities and energy expenditure of grazing sheep. Aust. J. agric. Res. 15: 969–973.Google Scholar
Holmes, C. W. 1971. The effect of milk given at various temperatures on the oxygen consumption of young calves. Anim. Prod. 13: 619–625.Google Scholar
Holmes, C. W. 1973. The energy and protein metabolism of pigs growing at a high ambient temperature. Anim. Prod. 16: 117–133.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, K. J. and McRae, B. H. 1969. Some factors associated with the behaviour and survival of newly shorn sheep. Aust. J. agric. Res. 20: 513–521.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLean, J. A. 1972. On the calculation of heat production from open-circuit calorimetric measurements. Br. J. Nutr. 27: 597–600.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Osuji, P. O. 1974. The physiology of eating and the energy expenditure of the ruminant at pasture. J. Range Mgmt 27: 437.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webster, A. J. F. and Hays, F. L. 1968. Effects of beta-adrenergic blockade on the heart rate and energy expenditure of sheep during feeding and during acute cold exposure. Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 46: 577–583.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webster, A. J. F. and Hicks, A. M. 1968. Respiration apparatus for the determination of the energy expenditure of livestock in cold environments. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 48: 89–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar