Abstract
The response of Namaqua Afrikaner, Dorper and South African Mutton Merino lambs, of approximately four months of age, towards a human being situated between them and their flock mates was studied in an arena test. The objective of the study was to determine whether the unimproved Namaqua Afrikaner, with an arguably shorter history of selection, would react differently to humans in an arena test compared to commercial breeds. A total number of 305 animals, born in 2010 and 2011 and raised under extensive veld conditions, were assessed in a modified arena test when the lambs born in each year were approximately four months old. From the test results it was possible to calculate the following parameters of the behaviour of the sheep: (i) The mean distance from the human operator, (ii) the time a lamb spent in a specific zone situated either close to or far from the human, and (iii) the total number of boundaries crossed, which gives an indication of the total distance travelled by an individual lamb. Other data recorded were the number of bleats and the number of times an animal urinated or defecated. There were no significant sex and birth type differences for any of the behaviour traits. No conclusive breed differences were found for any of the traits describing the behaviour of the lambs, except for the number of bleats. Namaqua Afrikaner lambs bleated significantly (24.0 ± 1.2) more in the three minute testing period than Dorper (8.2 ± 0.9) and South African Mutton Merino lambs (11.9 ± 2.5). Further research is necessary to see if this slight indication of anxiety could be related to other traits such as lamb survival or product quality.
Highlights
Temperament is defined as an animal’s inherent response to a stressful stimulus and is determined by genetic and permanent environmental effects such as early life experience (Dodd et al, 2012)
The arena test involved placing a single sheep in an arena (8.0 m x 6.0 m)
As the distance of each square from the seated operator was known, it was possible to calculate the following parameters: The mean distance from the human operator, the time a lamb spent in a specific zone was calculated, and the total number of boundaries crossed between squares during the test, which was considered as an indication of the total distance travelled
Summary
Temperament is defined as an animal’s inherent response to a stressful stimulus and is determined by genetic and permanent environmental effects such as early life experience (Dodd et al, 2012). In measuring and selecting for temperament in livestock, producers want animals that are easier to handle in open situations, as well as in more restricted environments. Stress influences meat quality (Cloete et al, 2005); syndromes such as pale, soft and exudative (PSE) meat in pork and dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat in beef may result from an inability of slaughter animals to cope with either acute short-term or chronic long-term stress (Lawrie, 1998). Cloete et al (2005) found that Merino lambs more susceptible to stress had inferior meat quality. According to Murphy et al (1994), animals of quiet temperament grew faster and were better producers than animals with restless, nervous or aggressive temperaments. Animal welfare considerations are increasingly becoming an important aspect of production
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
