Behavioural and physiological changes in pregnant ewes after winter shearing

Abstract

Our aim was to characterize the behavioural and physiological changes provoked by winter shearing of late pregnant ewes. Twelve ewes were shorn at 120 days of gestation, and the remaining 12 ewes remained unshorn as controls. The frequency in which animals were standing, lying down, and grazing, and the distance to the closest member of the group were recorded from Day -3 to Day -1 (shearing = Day 0), from Day 1 to Day 5, and on Days 13 and 20-21. The blood total protein, albumin and globulin concentrations were also determined in blood samples collected immediately before shearing, and on Days 10, 15 and 22. Shearing pregnant ewes triggered behavioural changes, such as decreased time allocation to resting and greater allocation to standing and grazing than controls possibly reflecting an increased consumption. The time allocated to grazing increased after shearing and remained higher than controls until the end of the study. During the first two days after shearing ewes were more dispersed probably due to difficulties in recognizing flock-mates. Total protein concentration was slightly greater in shorn ewes.