Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-t5pn6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T01:43:15.366Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Influence of space allowance and housing conditions on the welfare, immune response and production performance of dairy ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 October 2008

Mariangela Caroprese ,
Giovanni Annicchiarico ,
Laura Schena ,
Antonio Muscio ,
Raffaella Migliore  and
Agostino Sevi
Mariangela Caroprese*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento PRIME and Istituto per la Ricerca e le Applicazioni Biotecnologiche per la Sicurezza e la Valorizzazione dei Prodotti Tipici e di Qualità (BIOAGROMED), Università di Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia (Italy)
Giovanni Annicchiarico
Affiliation:
CRA–Istituto Sperimentale per la Zootecnia, Segezia -Foggia
Laura Schena
Affiliation:
Dipartimento PRIME and Istituto per la Ricerca e le Applicazioni Biotecnologiche per la Sicurezza e la Valorizzazione dei Prodotti Tipici e di Qualità (BIOAGROMED), Università di Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia (Italy)
Antonio Muscio
Affiliation:
Dipartimento PRIME and Istituto per la Ricerca e le Applicazioni Biotecnologiche per la Sicurezza e la Valorizzazione dei Prodotti Tipici e di Qualità (BIOAGROMED), Università di Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia (Italy)
Raffaella Migliore
Affiliation:
CRA–Istituto Sperimentale per la Zootecnia, Segezia -Foggia
Agostino Sevi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento PRIME and Istituto per la Ricerca e le Applicazioni Biotecnologiche per la Sicurezza e la Valorizzazione dei Prodotti Tipici e di Qualità (BIOAGROMED), Università di Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia (Italy)
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: m.caroprese@unifg.it
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The experiment used 45 Comisana ewes, divided into 3 groups of 15. The aim was to determine the effects of two different stocking densities and two different housing conditions on welfare, and on production performance of dairy ewes. The stocking densities tested were: high stocking density (1·5 m2/ewe, HD group) and low stocking density (3 m2/ewe, LD group); the two housing conditions tested were: ewes housed indoors (LD group, 3 m2/ewe) and ewes allowed to use an outdoor area (LDP group, 3 m2/ewe divided into 1·5 m2/ewe indoors and 1·5 m2/ewe outdoors). At the beginning of the experiment, and then every 2 months, the cell-mediated immune status of sheep was evaluated. One month after the beginning of the experiment, and 20 d later, the ewes were injected with chicken egg albumin (OVA) to assess their humoural immune responses. Starting from the beginning of the experiment and then monthly, behavioural activities of ewes were monitored using 15-min scans. After lamb weaning, milk yield from individual ewes was measured and milk composition analysed weekly. Housing conditions (low density reared ewes indoors v. low density reared ewes with free access to an outdoor area) affected cell-mediated response, which was higher in LDP than in LD ewes. Concentrations of anti-OVA IgG were mainly influenced by space allowance, with higher antibody titres in LD than in HD ewes throughout the experiment. Both housing conditions and space allowance affected sheep behavioural activities: a greater proportion of LDP ewes displayed standing and drinking behaviours than LD ewes, and a greater proportion of LD ewes was observed walking than HD ewes. Ewes allowed access to the outdoor area had a higher protein content and lower somatic cell count in their milk, whereas reduced space allowance led to a reduction in milk yield and an increase in somatic cell count of milk. Results indicate that both increased space allowance and availability of outdoor area can improve the welfare and production performance of the lactating ewe.

Keywords

Behaviourhousing systemimmune responsesheepspace allowancewelfare
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Dairy Research , Volume 76 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 66 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2008

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

Besedovsky, HO & Del Rey, A 1986 Immune-neuroendocrine network. In Progress in Immunology VI B (EdsCinader, B & Miller, RG) pp. 578–587. Toronto, Canada: Academic PressGoogle Scholar
Bhattacharya, AN & Uwayjan, M 1975 Effect of high ambient temperature and low humidity on nutrient utilization and on some physiological responses in Awassi sheep fed different levels of roughage. Journal of Animal Science 40 320–328CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolhuis, JE, Parmentier, HK, Schouten, WGP, Schrama, JW & Wiegant, VM 2003 Effects of housing and individual coping characteristics on immune responses of pigs. Physiology & Behavior 79 289–296CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Caroprese, M, Albenzio, M, Annicchiarico, G & Sevi, A 2006a Changes occurring in immune responsiveness of single- and twin-bearing Comisana ewes during the transition period. Journal of Dairy Science 89 562–568CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Caroprese, M, Napolitano, F, Albenzio, M, Annicchiarico, G, Muscio, A & Sevi, A 2006b Influence of gentling on lamb immune response and human–lamb interactions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 99 118–131Google Scholar
Casamassima, D, Sevi, A, Palazzo, M, Ramacciato, R, Colella, GE & Bellitti, A 2001 Effects of two different housing systems on behavior, physiology and milk yield of Comisana ewes. Small Ruminant Research 41 151–161Google Scholar
Cerna, C, Porras, A, Valencia, MJ, Perera, G & Zarco, L 2000 Effect of an inverse subtropical 19813 N photoperiod on ovarian activity, melatonin and prolactin secretion in Pelibuey ewes. Animal Reproduction Science 60/61 511–525Google Scholar
Curtis, SE 1983 Environmental Management in Animal Agriculture. Ames IA, USA: Iowa State PressGoogle Scholar
Dahl, GE, Buchanan, BA & Tucker, HA 2000 Photoperiodic effects on dairy cattle: a review. Journal of Dairy Science 83 885–893CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dove, H, Beilharz, RG & Black, JL 1974 Dominance patterns and positional behaviour of sheep in yards. Animal Production 19 157–168Google Scholar
Estevez, I, Andersen, IL & Nævdal, E 2007 Group size, density and social dynamics in farm animals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 103 185–204CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Communities 1986 Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes, pp. 1–28. Official Journal L 358, European Communities Publication office: LuxembourgGoogle Scholar
Fisher, AD, Crowe, MA, O'Kieli, P & Enright, WJ 1997 Growth, behaviour, adrenal and immune responses of finishing beef heifer housed on slatted floors at 1·5, 2·0, 2·5 or 3·0 m2 space allowance. Livestock Production Science 51 245–254CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, AF & Broom, DM 1990 Abnormal Behaviour 2: Self-directed and environment-directed. In Farm Animal Behaviour and Welfare London, UK: Bailliere Tindall pp. 321–322Google Scholar
Hanlon, AJ, Rhind, SM, Reid, HW, Burrells, C, Lawrence, AB, Milne, JA & McMillen, SR 1994 Relationship between immune response, liveweight gain, behaviour and adrenal function in red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves derived from wild and farmed stock, maintained at two housing densities. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 41 243–255Google Scholar
Hartung, J 1994 The effect of airborne particulate on livestock health and production. In Pollution in Livestock Production System (EdsAp Dewi, I, Axford, RFE, Marai, IFM & Omed, H) pp. 55–69. Wallingford, UK: CAB internationalGoogle Scholar
International Dairy Federation 1990 Determination of milk fat, protein & lactose content–guide for the operation of mid-infra-red instruments. Brussels: IDF (FIL-IDF Standard no. 141b)Google Scholar
International Dairy Federation 1993 Determination of nitrogen content. Brussels: IDF (FIL-IDF Standard no. 20b)Google Scholar
International Dairy Federation 1995 Enumeration of somatic cells. Brussels: IDF (FIL-IDF Standard no. 148a)Google Scholar
Kelly, CF & Bond, TE 1971 Bioclimatic Factors and their Measurement: a Guide to Environmental Research on Animals. Washington DC, USA: National Academy of SciencesGoogle Scholar
Lynch, JJ, Wood-Gush, DGM & Davies, HI 1985 Aggression and nearest neighbours in a flock of Scottish Blackface ewes. Biology Behaviour 10 215–225Google Scholar
Napolitano, F, Annicchiarico, G, Caroprese, M, De Rosa, G, Taibi, L & Sevi, A 2003 Lambs prevented from suckling their mothers display behavioral, immune and endocrine disturbances. Physiology & Behavior 78 81–89Google Scholar
Napolitano, F, De Rosa, G, Grasso, F., Pacelli, C & Bordi, A 2004 Influence of space allowance on the welfare of weaned buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves. Livestock Production Science 86 117–124Google Scholar
SAS 1999 SAS/STAT User's Guide (Version 8.1). Statistical Analysis System Institute, Cary NC, USAGoogle Scholar
Sevi, A, Annicchiarico, G, Albenzio, M, Taibi, L, Muscio, A & Dell'Aquila, S 2001 Effects of solar radiation and feeding time on behavior, immune response and production of lactating ewes under high ambient temperature. Journal of Dairy Science 84 629–640Google Scholar
Sevi, A, Taibi, L, Muscio, A, Albenzio, M, Dantone, D & Dell'Aquila, S 2001 Quality of ewe milk as affected by stocking density and litter treatment with bentonite. Italian Journal of Food Science 13 77–86Google Scholar
Sevi, A, Albenzio, M, Annicchiarico, G, Caroprese, M, Marino, R & Taibi, L 2002 Effects of ventilation regimen on the welfare and performance of lactating ewes in summer. Journal of Animal Science 80 2349–2361Google Scholar
Sevi, A, Caroprese, M, Annicchiarico, G, Albenzio, M, Taibi, L & Muscio, A 2003 The effect of a gradual separation from the mother on later behavioral, immune and endocrine alterations in artificially reared lambs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 83 41–53CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sevi, A, Massa, S, Annicchiarico, G, Dell'Aquila, S & Muscio, A 1999 Effect of stocking density on ewes milk yield, udder health and microenvironment. Journal of Dairy Research 66 489–499CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shapiro, SS & Wilk, M 1965 An analysis of variance test for normality. Biometrika 52 591–601CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Silanikove, N 2000 Effects of heat stress on the welfare of extensively managed domestic ruminants. Livestock Production Science 67 1–18Google Scholar
Thiéry, JC, Chemineau, P, Hernandez, H, Migaud, M & Malpaux, B 2002 Neuroendocrine interactions and seasonality. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 23 87–100Google Scholar
Tompkins, MB & Tompkins, WAF 2000 Cytokines and the immune response to infection. In Schalm's Veterinary Hematology (EdsFeldman, BF, Zinkl, JG & Jain, NC) pp. 256–259. Baltimore MA, USA: Lippincott, Williams & WilkinsGoogle Scholar