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Feeding behaviour and the intake of food and water by sheep after a period of deprivation lasting 14 h

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

S. J. G. Hall ,
B. Schmidt  and
D. M. Broom
S. J. G. Hall
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare and Human-Animal Interactions Group, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES
B. Schmidt
Affiliation:
Institute für Tierhygiene, Verhaltenskunde und Tierschutz der Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität München, Schwere-Reiter-Strasse 9, 80797 München, Germany
D. M. Broom
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare and Human-Animal Interactions Group, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES
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Abstract

After 14 h of confinement in a stationary trailer, sheep were found to have lost proportionately a mean of 0·057 of their body weight. Two experiments, one with a heterogeneous flock (28·6 to 93·2 kg body weight) and the other with a more homogeneous flock (32·4 to 46·6 kg) showed very little recovery of this loss after 1 h of ad libitum food and water. When offered familiar concentrates, sheep ate on average 1·2 kg per animal in the 1st h, water only being taken in quantity (>5·01 per animal) in the next 6 h. Hay was taken at a much lower rate (0·25 kg per animal) and less water drunk (1·51 per animal). Competitive social interactions were five times more frequent during hay feeding than during concentrate feeding. After 14 h of confinement a break of Ih is evidently insufficient for feeding and watering and could result in poor welfare. If concentrates are offered, the resulting water deficit will not be redressed within 1 h, resulting in a strong motivation to drink when no water is available. If hay is offered, the heightened level of competitive social interaction could also result in poor welfare.

Keywords

food intakesheeptransportwater intakewelfare
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Science , Volume 64 , Issue 1 , February 1997 , pp. 105 - 110
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1997

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