The effect of shape, width and slope of a resting platform on the resting behaviour of and floor cleanliness for housed sheep

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to investigate how the shape (U-shaped, L-shaped or platform, both in the front and back (FB-shaped) of the pen), width (0.5 m or 0.6 m) and slope (0% or 5%) of a solid wooden resting platform, together with the cleaning frequency (daily or every 2nd day) would affect the resting behaviour of ewes and floor cleanliness. The experiment was conducted in three different commercial farms in Norway, and within each herd, two of the factors were tested in a 2 × 2 factorial design using four experimental pens, while the effect of cleaning frequency (daily or every other day) was replicated within the herd using four additional experimental pens (eight experimental pens within each herd). Ewes were systematically rotated between pens within herds and the ewes’ resting behaviour was scored for the last 6 days of each experimental period. The manure on the solid resting platforms was collected and weighed, while moisture on the surface of the resting platforms was scored for the 2 last days of each experimental period. In all herds, significantly more sheep were observed resting in pens with FB-shaped resting platforms than in pens with U- or L-shaped platforms ( P < 0.0001). A reduced amount of time on resting platforms was mainly compensated for an increase in the number of sheep lying on the slatted floor and partly by an increase in the number of sheep that was standing. An effective perimeter length (EPL) with a minimum of 0.9 m per ewe was needed to enable all sheep to rest simultaneously on the resting platform. Increasing the slope of the resting platform had no effect on resting behaviour, but decreasing the width of the platforms resulted in more ewes resting on the original pen floor ( P < 0.01). A slope of 5% resulted in a significantly lower amount of manure ( P < 0.0001) and a lower moisture score ( P < 0.0001). In two of the herds, cleaning every 2nd day increased the amount of manure ( P < 0.01), but not the moisture score. In conclusion, FB-shaped resting platforms of solid wood may be a relatively cheap and convenient way of increasing the resting time and comfort of sheep housed in fully slatted floor pens, as long as there is a sufficient amount of effective perimeter length available.