The survival of lambs in shelter declines at high stocking intensities

Animal Production Science

Volumn 52, Issue 7, 2012, Pages 497-501

  Robertson, S M ^a,b   King, B J ^a,b   Broster, J C ^a,b   Friend, M A ^a,b  

^a CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY   (Australia)

^b Co operative Research Centre for Future Farm Industries ^*  (Australia)

Author keywords

management; nutrition; reproduction; sheep.

Indexed keywords

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY; LIVESTOCK FARMING; SHEEP; SHELTER; STARVATION; STOCKING DENSITY; SURVIVAL;

OVIS ARIES;

EID: 84861816061     PISSN: 18360939     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1071/AN11261     Document Type: Article

References (26)

1. Alexander G, Lynch JJ, Mottershead BE (1979) Useofshelter and selection of lambing sites by shorn and unshorn ewes in paddocks with closely or widely spaced shelters. Applied Animal Ethology 5, 51-69. doi:10.1016/0304-3762(79) 90007-5
2. Alexander G, Lynch JJ, Mottershead BE, Donnelly JB (1980) Reduction in lamb mortalitybymeansof grass wind-breaks: resultsofafive-year study. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production13, 329-331.
3. Alexander G, Stevens D, Kilgour R, de Langen H, Mottershead BE, Lynch JJ (1983a) Separation of ewes from twin lambs: incidence in several sheep breeds. Applied Animal Ethology 10, 301-317 doi:10.1016/0304-3762(83)90181-5
4. Alexander G, Stevens D, Mottershead B (1983b) Problems in the accurate recording of lambing data. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 23, 361-368 doi:10.1071/EA9830361
5. Alexander G, Kilgour R, Stevens D, Bradley LR (1984) The effect of experience on twin-care in New Zealand Romney sheep. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 12, 363-372 doi:10.1016/0168-1591(84)90128-X
6. Arnold GW, Morgan PD (1975) Behaviourofthe eweandlambatlambing and its relationship to lamb mortality. Applied Animal Ethology 2, 25-46 doi:10.1016/0304-3762(75)90063-2
7. Broster JC, Dehaan RL, Swain DL, Friend MA (2010) Ewe and lamb contact at lambing is influenced by both shelter type and birth number. Animal 4, 796-803 doi:10.1017/S1751731110000030
8. Broster JC, Rathbone DP, Robertson SM, King BJ, Friend MF (2012) Ewe movement and ewe-lamb contact levels in shelter are greater at high stocking rates. Animal Production Science 52, 502-506 doi:10.1071/AN11264
9. Cloete SWP, Scholtz AJ, Ten Hoope JM (1998) A note on separation from one or more lamb (s) in Merino lines divergently selected for ewe multiple rearing ability. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58, 189-195 doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(97) 00098-1
10. Donnelly J (1984) The productivity of breeding ewes grazing on lucerne or grass and clover pastures on the tablelands of Southern Australia. III. Lamb mortality and weaning percentage. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 35, 709-721 doi:10.1071/AR9840709
11. Everett-Hincks JM, Blair HT, Stafford KJ, Lopez-Villalobos N, Kenyon PR, Morris ST (2005) The effect of pasture allowance fed to twin-and triplet-bearing ewes in late pregnancy on ewe and lamb behaviour and performance to weaning. Livestock Production Science 97, 253-266 doi:10.1016/j.livprodsci.2005.05.006
12. Freer M, Moore AD, Donnelly JR (1997) GRAZPLAN: decision support systems for Australian grazing enterprises-II. The animal biology model for feed intake, production and reproduction and the Graz Feed DSS. Agricultural Systems 54, 77-126 doi:10.1016/S0308-521X(96)00045-5
13. Haydock KP, Shaw NH (1975) The comparative field method for estimating dry matter field of pasture. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 15, 663-670
14. Jefferies BC (1961) Body condition scoring and its use in management. Tasmanian Journal of Agriculture 32, 19-21
15. Kleemann DO, Grosser TI, Walker SK (2006) Fertility in South Australian commercial Merino flocks: aspects of management. Theriogenology 65, 1649-1665 doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2005.08.026
16. Lloyd Davies H, Southey IN (2001) Effects of grazing management and stocking rate on pasture production, ewe liveweight, ewe fertility and lamb growth on subterranean clover-based pasture in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 41, 161-168 doi:10.1071/EA00012
17. Lynch JJ, Alexander G (1977) Sheltering behaviour of lambing Merino sheep in relation to grass hedges and artificial windbreaks. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 28, 691-701 doi:10.1071/AR9770691
18. Mannetje L, Haydock KP (1963) The dry-weight-rank method for the botanical analysis of pasture. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18, 268-275 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2494.1963.tb00362.x
19. McFarlane D (1965) Perinatal lamb losses 1. An autopsy method for the investigation of perinatal losses. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 13, 116-135 doi:10.1080/00480169.1965.33615
20. Nowak R, Murphy TM, Lindsay DR, Alster P, Andersson R, Uvnäs-Moberg K (1997) Development of apreferential relationship with them other by the newborn lamb: importance of the sucking activity. Physiology & Behavior 62, 681-688 doi:10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00079-6
21. Paganoni BL, Milton JTB, Vinoles Gil C, Glover KMM, Martin GB (2008) Shelter does not increase survival of twin lambs born during mild winter weather. Animal Production in Australia 27, 89.
22. Payne RW, Harding SA, Murray DA, Soutar DM, Baird DB, Glaser AI, Channing IC, Welham SJ, Gilmour A, Thompson R, Webster R (2009) 'GENSTAT release 12. Reference manual. ' (VSN International: Hertfordshire)
23. Pollard JC (2006) Shelter for lambing sheep in New Zealand: a review. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 395-404 doi:10.1080/00288233.2006. 9513730
24. Robertson S, King BJ, Broster JC, Friend MA (2011) Survivaloftwinlambsis increased with shrub belts. Animal Production Science 51, 925-938 doi:10.1071/AN11006
25. Stevens D, Alexander G, Mottershead B, Lynch JJ (1984) Role of the lamb in post-partum separation of ewes from twin lambs. Animal Production in Australia 15, 751.
26. Winfield CG (1970) The effect of stocking intensity at lambing on lamb survival and ewe behaviour. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 8, 291-296.