Abstract
The behaviour of Suffolk lambs placed in an outside fenced area was investigated for the purpose of obtaining useful basic data for proper sheep management. Continuous twenty-four hour observations were performed by a video-recording system at the outside fenced area (5m × 5m) from one month till three months of age. Lambs showed 11.2-13.9 hours per day of resting behaviour in a squatting or lying posture. The mean frequency of feeding behaviour per hour was 3.0 times for daytime and 1.6 times for nighttime at 1 week after 1 month of age, showing the necessity of exclusive feeding of lambs. Drinking behaviour was observed in the intervals between feedings. The mean frequency of drinking behaviour per hour was 0.9-1.4 times for daytime and 0.1-0.4 times for nighttime, showing the necessity of a water supply for lambs even in their nursing period. The mean frequency of sucking behaviour per day was 82.5 times at 1 week after 1 month of age, which then decreased gradually, to 20.5 times at 8 weeks after 1 month of age. The mean sucking bout duration was 9.8-11.0 seconds. From the data of sucking behaviour compared with the author's data in the inside pen, the ewe-lamb relationship seemed to become closer when they were placed in the outside pen during the nursing period.
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