Sheep

Towards a more practical attention bias test to assess affective state in sheep

Tests for attention bias potentially offer more rapid assessment of affective state in animals than existing cognitive methods. An attention bias test has previously been developed for sheep and validated as a measure of anxious states. The 3 minute test...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Monk, J. E., Doyle, R. E., Colditz, I. G. et al. 2018. Towards a more practical attention bias test to assess affective state in sheep. PLOS ONE 13(1), e0190404.

The impact of group size on welfare indicators of ewes during pregnancy

Group size (GS) and space allowance have major implications for the welfare of production species, however their effects are often confounded. In a previous study we investigated the impact of varying space allowance at constant GS. In the present work...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Averós, X., Beltrán de Heredia I., Ruiz, R. et al. 2016. The impact of group size on welfare indicators of ewes during pregnancy. PLOS ONE 11(11), e0167061.

The Sheep Grimace Scale as an indicator of post-operative distress and pain in laboratory sheep

The EU Directive 2010/63/EU changed the requirements regarding the use of laboratory animals and raised important issues related to assessing the severity of all procedures undertaken on laboratory animals. However, quantifiable parameters to assess severity are rare, and improved assessment...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Häger, C., Biernot, S., Buettner, M. et al. 2017. The Sheep Grimace Scale as an indicator of post-operative distress and pain in laboratory sheep. PLOS ONE 12(4), e0175839.

Sheep Management and Diseases, 7th Edition

Sheep have excellent long-term memory, especially of aversive situations.

Year Published: 1952Animal Type: Sheep

Citation: Belschner, H. G. 1962. Sheep Management and Diseases, 7th Edition. Angus and Robertson, Sydney, Australia.

Social Behavior, Organization and Leadership in a Small Flock of Domestic Sheep – Comparative Psychology Monographs, Volume 18, Serial No

Description of species-typical behavior of sheep.

Year Published: 1945Animal Type: Sheep

Citation: Scott, J. P. 1945. Social Behavior, Organization and Leadership in a Small Flock of Domestic Sheep - Comparative Psychology Monographs, Volume 18, Serial No.96. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD.

The utilization of food by sheep and cattle

Food restriction to obtain 'baseline' measurements can introduce uncontrolled data variability with some animals reacting with high [excitation], others with low [apathy] metabolism.

Year Published: 1961Animal Type: Cattle, Sheep

Citation: Blaxter, K. L., Wainman, F. W. 1961. The utilization of food by sheep and cattle. Journal of Agricultural Science 57, 419-425.

Stress in sheep resulting from management practices

Separation from conspecifics causes a sharp increase in cortisol concentration.

Year Published: 1970Animal Type: Sheep

Citation: Kilgour, R., de Langen, H. 1970. Stress in sheep resulting from management practices. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 30, 65-76.

Mountain Sheep; a Study in Behavior and Evolution

Excellent description and analysis of species-typical behavior.

Year Published: 1971Animal Type: Sheep

Citation: Geist, V. 1971. Mountain Sheep; a Study in Behavior and Evolution. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.

Diurnal changes of plasma cortisol levels in sheep adapting to a new environment

It was demonstrated that an average of 28 days is needed for cortisol to return to normal levels when sheep are brought from pasture into an animal house.

Year Published: 1973Animal Type: Sheep

Citation: McNatty, K. P., Young, A. 1973. Diurnal changes of plasma cortisol levels in sheep adapting to a new environment. Journal of Endocrinology 56, 329-330.

Effect of confinement on ovine glucose and immunoreactive insulin circadian rhythms

Cage restraint alters insulin and glucose levels of sheep.

Year Published: 1974Animal Type: Sheep

Citation: Holley, D. C., Evans, J. W. 1974. Effect of confinement on ovine glucose and immunoreactive insulin circadian rhythms. American Journal of Physiology 226, 1457-1461.