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Social relationships between ewes of two breeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

C. M. Dwyer  and
A. B. Lawrence
C. M. Dwyer
Affiliation:
Department of Genetics and Behavioural Sciences, SAC-Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QE
A. B. Lawrence
Affiliation:
Department of Genetics and Behavioural Sciences, SAC-Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QE
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Extract

Domestic sheep have a strong social tendency. However, the nature of social relationships varies with season, breed, and size of enclosure. Ewes occupy a smaller home-range, with larger subgroup sizes, in the winter compared with the summer months (Lawrence and Wood-Gush, 1988a). Domestication has apparently led to a reduction in nearest neighbour (NN) distances from feral (Soay) sheep, who do not have strong flocking behaviour, to Merinos with NN distances of less than 2 m (Arnold, 1985). The social choices made by ewes affect their foraging behaviour and may have significant effects on production (Lawrence and Wood-Gush, 1988b). The aim of this study was to examine the social choices of a hill and a lowland breed of ewe when grazing two different environments in spring and summer of 1995 and 1996. The influence of lamb genotype on the behaviour of the ewes was also investigated.

Type
Poster abstracts
Information
BSAP Occasional Publication , Volume 20: Animal Choices , 1997 , pp. 92 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1997

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References

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