Sheep Behaviour

Question 1

Offspring behaviour

Answer 1

“Follower”
Precocial offspring

Question 2

What type of breeders are sheep

Answer 2

Seasonal
- separate male subgroups at certain times of years

Question 3

Sheep social grazing beh

Answer 3

Group with about 4 or 5 other sheep when grazing
Maintain visual link (sheep throw their head to check position of others)

Question 4

Psychological stress induced by isolation can be reduced by…

Answer 4

Providing a mirror

Question 5

Sheep vision characteristics

Answer 5

Pano = 330-360 (prey species)
Bino = 25-50 (poor depth perception)

Large pupils, built in wide angle lens enhances peripheral vision
Vertical vision sacrificed (looking up)

Question 6

Sheep hearing characteristics

Answer 6

Sensitive to high pitches
Stress hormones released in response to sudden loud noises = nervous, difficult to handle
Amplify and pinpoint sounds with ears

Question 7

Sheep smell characteristics

Answer 7

More highly developed than humans
Identifications (ewes + lambs)
During mating = flehmen response to detect ewes in estrus
Detect water, identify differences btw pastures and feeds

Question 8

Ex of sheep using smell with regards to feed

Answer 8

Prefer to avoid grazing near where other sheep have defecated
Select fresh feed > spoiled

Question 9

Sheep taste characteristics

Answer 9

Can differentiate between feedstuffs
Sweet and sour plants > bitter plants (rejected)

Question 10

Sheep touch characteristics

Answer 10

Lambs seek body contact with dams and ewes respond to this touch (e.g. milk let down in response to nuzzling)

Question 11

Dominance in sheep

Answer 11

Grazing flock = no signs
Small domestic flocks, sheep compete for small amounts of food by pushing/shoving. Competitive feeding situations = linear hierarchy

Question 12

Dominance fights occur more within…

Answer 12

single sex, single aged groups than in mixed sex/age groups or families

Question 13

Social groups in sheep

Answer 13

Stable
Not randomly dispersed
Strong bond can form between two animals = dependence
Shaped by anti-predator and foraging strategies

Question 14

Examples of different breeds having different flock structures

Answer 14

Merinos are a tightly knit flock, rarely form subgroups
Southdowns form few subgroups
Dorsets always form many subgroups

Question 15

Sheltering behaviour in sheep

Answer 15

If shade is available it is used, if not they shade their heads under flanks or btw hind legs of other sheep

Question 16

Where do sheep graze

Answer 16

Into the wind on treeless plains (in hot weather)
On cold wet days, they huddle in the down-wind corner of the paddock (shelters should be placed here)

Question 17

Slide 16

Answer 17

Camping behaviour??

Question 18

Grazing periods in sheep, how long they graze and what affects grazing

Answer 18

Early morning and late afternoon
5-10 hours/day
Affected by day length, environmental factors, breed, availability of pasture and water

Question 19

Why do sheep have a cleft upper lip

Answer 19

Allows for very close grazing

Question 20

Is there a relationship between dominance and mating behaviour

Answer 20

No, dominant ram does not necessarily mate the most

Question 21

What stimulates rams sexual beh

Answer 21

Not stimulated by seeing others mount
Exposure to recently mated rams increases sexual performance of other rams
Odour of estrus ewe

Question 22

Sexual behaviour of the ewe

Answer 22

Proceptive
-> seeks out male and stays close to him

Question 23

Lambing and post lambing behaviours

Answer 23

Some ewes stay with the flock, others leave
Vigorously licks lamb and eats fetal membranes
Lamb finds teat within 1-2 hours

Question 24

When does fostering need to occur

Answer 24

Strange lambs may be accepted immediately following birth
Rejection rate increases after 12h
Restimulate ewe through simulated delivery and own lamb odours on strange lamb

Question 25

How do lambs and ewes recognize each other

Answer 25

Lambs recognize mothers call
Ewes recognize lambs via vocalizations, smell and visual

Question 26

Most important abnormal behaviour in sheep

Answer 26

Maternal behaviour (e.g. rejection of lamb)