An environmental enrichment tool used to prevent barbering in Ovis aries (2007)

Atkins, P. L., Millsap, L., Thain, D. et al.

Abstract

Dominant animals were observed performing barbering and the barbering apparently leads to mild puritis as barbered animal subsequently self-barber. .. Observing dominant sheep barbering their cohort, incidence increasing with time in pens, and the lack of detectable underlying medical pathology supports the conclusion the barbering results from boredom. .. Since we could not find suggestions on how to enrich the sheep, we devised enrichment based on naturalistic behavior. We used hanging puzzle feeders(equine hay-nets) to add hay and complexity to the daily ration. We also used "toys" such as hanging basketballs to encourage play and non-barbering activity. .. So far the animals have not demonstrated any barbering behaviors since the introduction of hay to their diet.