Comfortable quarters for sheep and goats (1997)

Hinch, G. N. , Lynch, J. J.

Abstract

Valuable guidelines for the species-appropriate housing and handling for sheep and goats. The inherent neophobia of sheep and goats makes it an imperative that animals subjected to experimentation be carefully habituated to all new, i.e fear-inducing situations. The adjustment to the stress associated with new food, to new housing arrangements, to new experimental conditions, and to new personnel is best buffered by working with an animal in the presence of one, or preferably several familiar, well-experienced conspecifics.Visual isolation is extremely stressful for sheep and goats, and under no circumstance should they be housed by themselves. An individual animal should never be exposed to a potentially stressful situation, such as venipuncture and drug application, without the presence of a familiar conspecific. .. Sheep kept in deep litter pens readily accept toys such as plastic drums and suspended balls to counteract boredom.