Movement Of Sheep Research Articles

Transhumance in Southern Italy (Fifteenth-Sixteenth Centuries): The Mobility Perspective

This paper is an overview of sheep transhumance in southern Italy from the Aragonese reform of the 1440s to the eve of a second wave of reforms in the 1540s and 1550s. The analysis focuses on the concept of mobility, which proves to be a significant indicator of increasing interdependence between the factors involved in this complex economic activity (agriculturists, pastoralists, the state, the merchants, the market and local communities), leading to change in settlement patters, production arrangements, merchant networks, social identities, economic and political thought. The role of the state institution of the sheep custom house in coordinating the seasonal movement of sheep, graziers, officials and merchants, and in negotiating the multiple, overlapping claims of landlords, towns, the state itself and pastoralists on the same lands was pivotal in the long-term survival of this economic sector.

Cleaning practices of transport vehicles by commercial and non-commercial livestock markets users in Scotland

BackgroundLivestock markets are critical intermediaries in the movement of cattle and sheep between herds and to abattoirs. Disease prevention strategies promoting Cleansing & Disinfection (C&D) of vehicles moving animals from markets are in place in Scotland to reduce the risk of widespread transmission of pathogens within the livestock industry. However, little is known about how market users implement C&D on their vehicles and how these may differ between sectors of the industry. MethodsAn online questionnaire was completed by 72 Scottish market users to investigate C&D practices on livestock transport vehicles. Respondents were grouped based on their farming activities and biosecurity practices were compared between commercial and non-commercial users. ResultsThe results showed a lower-than-expected use of brush or disinfectant and a shorter-than-expected time spent on C&D. Particularly, 43.6 % of respondents spent less than 30 min to C&D their vehicle, with no significant differences between respondents from commercial and non-commercial sectors (P = 0.75). Overall, we found little differences in C&D practices and level of training between sectors, highlighting the industrywide deficit in biosecurity knowledge. ConclusionsThese results highlight a need to improve the messaging and awareness on good C&D practices on transport vehicles. Regular training on C&D practices is recommended, particularly for commercial livestock transport.

Tracking Free-Ranging Pantaneiro Sheep during Extreme Drought in the Pantanal through Precision Technologies

The Pantanal has been facing consecutive years of extreme drought, with an impact on the quantity and quality of available pasture. However, little is known about how locally adapted breeds respond to the distribution of forage resources in this extreme drought scenario. This study aimed to evaluate the movement of free-grazing Pantaneiro sheep using a low-cost GPS to assess the main grazing sites, measure the daily distance traveled, and determine the energy requirements for walking with body weight monitoring. In a herd of 100 animals, 31 were selected for weighing, and six ewes were outfitted with GPS collars. GPS data collected on these animals every 10 m from August 2020 to May 2021 was analyzed using the Python programming language. The traveled distance and activity energy requirements (ACT) for horizontal walking (Mcal/d of NEm) were determined. The 31 ewes were weighed at the beginning and end of each season. The available dry matter (DM) and floristic composition of the grazing sites were estimated at the peak of the drought. DM was predicted using power regression with NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) (R2 = 0.94). DM estimates averaged 450 kg/ha, ranging from traces to 3830 kg/ha, indicating overall very low values. Individual variation in the frequency of use of grazing sites was observed (p < 0.05), reflecting the distances traveled and the energetic cost of the activity. The range of distances traveled by the animals varied from 3.3 to 17.7 km/d, with an average of 5.9 km/d, indicating low energy for walking. However, the traveled distance and ACT remained consistent over time; there were no significant differences observed between seasons (p > 0.05). On average, the ewes’ initial weight did not differ from the weight at the drought peak (p > 0.05), indicating that they maintained their initial weight, which is important for locally adapted breeds as it confers robustness and resilience. This study also highlighted the importance of the breed’s biodiverse diet during extreme drought, which enabled the selection of forage for energy and nutrient supplementation. The results demonstrated that precision tools such as GPS and satellite imagery enabled the study of animals in extensive systems, thereby contributing to decision-making within the production system.

Small-scale sheep and cattle enterprises in Scotland: Demographics, animal health, and biosecurity

Livestock keepers who operate on a small scale in the United Kingdom are often described as either smallholders or hobby farmers; however, this is not always the case. There is another distinct population in Scotland. The crofting system promotes the preservation of a way of life that is significant to the cultural heritage of Scotland, whilst at the same time utilising and maintaining marginal land that could otherwise be deemed of very low productive value. We developed two cross-sectional questionnaire surveys to gather descriptive data about individuals from two populations (crofters and smallholders) who kept sheep and/or cattle. Our aim was to explore demographics, animal health, husbandry, and biosecurity practices of these two communities, including how they may interact with other livestock sectors. Most respondents in each population kept sheep, with far fewer keeping cattle. There was a distinct geographical difference in the approximate location of respondents’ holdings. Movement of sheep was often local, temporary, and exempt from reporting to national databases. Visits from the vet were infrequent, but the vet remained an important source of animal health advice, alongside peer networks. The information from these surveys is valuable because policy decisions taken with predominantly larger, commercial-scale enterprises in mind also frequently apply to small-scale enterprises, even though these smaller enterprises may not have the same opportunity to influence those decisions or implement the requirements. Aspects of agricultural activity and food production at the scale explored in these surveys – including plurality of employment and diversification away from purely agricultural activities – are relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of sustainable cities and communities, zero hunger and life on land. In this context, competent authorities should support this type of context-sensitive agriculture, alongside seeking to maintain animal health and welfare standards at the highest possible level on a national scale. Our surveys contribute to improved understanding of how these enterprises function and therefore will support policy makers when considering the breadth of keepers and circumstances affected by rules and regulations governing agriculture.

Tracking free-ranging sheep to evaluate interrelations between selective grazing, movement patterns and the botanical composition of alpine summer pastures in northern Italy

Extensive sheep pasturing in alpine regions has a long tradition and fulfils numerous sociological, economic and ecological functions. The effects of sheep grazing on the floristic composition and vice versa depend on various factors. Knowledge of potential interrelations is crucial to developing adequate management systems to maintain pasture productivity and its unique biodiversity. The aim of the present study was to discuss the potential interrelations between movement and selective grazing behaviour of free-ranging unherded sheep and the botanical composition of high-altitude mountain pastures in northern Italy. General movement patterns were determined by using GPS tracking. The floristic composition of areas roamed by the sheep was analysed by collecting physical data during the summer of 2022. The energy content of ingested herbage biomass was determined based on faecal samples. Ranging between 2296 and 3015 m above sea level (a.s.l.), the average altitude used by the sheep was 2654 m a.s.l. Correlation analyses showed that the sheep used significantly higher altitudes with increasing temperature and sunshine duration and with decreasing air humidity and rainfall. A clear selective grazing behaviour was revealed, namely a preference for species with better nutritional attributes. Poa alpina was the most preferred species, while areas dominated by Nardus stricta were avoided. Furthermore, the sheep showed an uphill migration over the season, possibly caused by the delayed start of grassland growth at higher altitudes. Analyses of faecal samples revealed sufficient energy contents, presumably as a result of the targeted selection of nutritious plant species. Future studies should evaluate the feeding value of herbage on offer in order to validate the current results. The study highlights the opportunity of animal tracking in remote areas and provides indications for selective grazing of sheep under conditions of free choice.

Changes in movement, habitat use, and response to human disturbance accompany parturition events in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis)

Parturition and the early neonatal period are critical life history stages in ungulates with considerable implications for population growth and persistence. Understanding the changes in behaviour induced by ungulate parturition is important for supporting effective population management, but reliably identifying birth sites and dates presents a challenge for managers. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) are one such highly valued and ecologically important species in montane and subalpine ecosystems of Western North America. In the face of changing patterns of anthropogenic land use, wildlife managers increasingly require site-specific knowledge of the movement and habitat selection characteristics of periparturient sheep to better inform land use planning initiatives and ensure adequate protections for lambing habitat. We used movement data from GPS collared parturient (n = 13) and non-parturient (n = 8) bighorn sheep in Banff National Park, Canada to (1) identify lambing events based on changes in key movement metrics, and (2) investigate how resource selection and responses to human use change during the periparturient period. We fit a hidden Markov model (HMM) to a multivariate characterization of sheep movement (step length, daily home range area, residence time) to predict realistic lambing dates for the animals in our study system. Leave-one-out cross validation of our model resulted in a 93% success rate for parturient females. Our model, which we parameterized using data from known parturient females, also predicted lambing events in 25% of known non-parturient ewes in a test dataset. Using a latent selection difference function and resource selection functions, we tested for postpartum changes in habitat use, as well as seasonal differences in habitat selection. Immediately following lambing, ewes preferentially selected high-elevation sites on solar aspects that were more rugged, closer to escape terrain, and further from roads. Within-home range habitat selection was similar between individuals in different reproductive states, but parturient ewes had stronger selection for low snow depth, sites closer to barren ground, and sites further from trails. We propose that movement-based approaches such as HMMs are a valuable tool for identifying critical parturition habitat in species with complex movement patterns and may have particular utility in study areas without access to extensive field observations or vaginal implant transmitters. Furthermore, our results suggest that managers should minimize human disturbance in lambing areas to avoid interfering with maternal behaviour and ensure access to a broad range of suitable habitat in the periparturient period.

Efficacy of decoquinate in pelleted feed in case of eimeriosis in lambs

Eimeriosis of sheep reduces the profitability of the production of wool, leather, meat, and milk, which causes substantial damage to the sheep industry, and therefore requires the introduction of effective means of prevention and treatment of animals from this infestation. The purpose of this study was to establish the efficacy of decoquinate in granular feed in case of lamb eimeriosis. As a result of coproscopic studies according to DSTU 5079 2008 “Veterinary medicine. Methods of laboratory diagnosis of eimerioses” determined the extent of invasion of lambs by oocysts of various Eimeria species, namely E. arloingi – 41%, E. crandallis – 29%, E. intricate – 15%, E. faurei – 15%, which are registered in animals of separate farms of the Cherkasy region. Clinical symptoms of eimeriosis are observed in young animals from the age of one month and are characterized by anaemia of visible mucous membranes, diarrhoea, depression of the general condition, weakness, and predominantly acute course of invasion with high mortality. The manifestation of clinical symptoms of the disease depends on many factors, namely the age of lambs, the sanitary situation on the farm, changes in feed fattening programs, stressful situations that arise due to the movement of sheep to other premises or weaning lambs from ewes. In older lambs, as a rule, the disease has a chronic and asymptomatic course. In such animals, Eimeria oocysts are excreted in faeces in much smaller quantities than in one-month-old lambs during an acute course of infection. The maximum values of invasion extensiveness (100%) and invasion intensiveness (12,000 oocysts in 1 g of faeces) were found in two-month-old lambs. Invasion in the digestive canal of these animals worsens the absorption of feed nutrients, which contributes to a decrease in the average daily weight gain (on average 155.3 g/day), which increases with treatment of animals with decoquinate (on average 185.7 g/day). In general, the use of decoquinate in sick lambs at a dose of 1 mg/kg of body weight for 28 days shows prominent therapeutic and preventive effectiveness. Therewith, extensefficiency is 90%, and parasite carrier is observed only in 10% of animals. Therefore, for the effective treatment of lambs of distinct age groups, the decoquinate preparation can be recommended, which is especially important for farms with intensive rearing of young sheep

Determinants and dynamics of blowouts in Hulun Buir sandy grassland, Inner Mongolia, China from 1959 to 2018

AbstractThe formation and development of blowouts is an important surface indication of sand drift activity in the Hulun Buir sandy grassland and the main cause of landscape pattern heterogeneity. In this study, dynamic changes and determinants of blowouts in this region were studied via analysis of multi‐period high‐resolution remote sensing data from 1959 to 2018. The different stages of activity and dominant factors of the fixation and activation of blowouts were analysed with Lancaster's M‐index. The results show that the activity of blowouts in Hulun Buir sandy grassland can be divided into three stages from 1959 to 2018: (I) growth and expansion stage, from 1959 to 2004; (II) fixation and grassland recovery stage, from 2005 to 2010; (III) redevelopment stage, from 2011 to 2018. The two geomorphic units of depressions and depositional lobes exhibit different responses to changes in climatic factors. The depositional lobes are more sensitive to the change in external factors with better feedback and their areas and numbers change with the variation of stage, while depressions exhibit relatively slow changes. The wind regime is the dominant factor explaining the variation of activity of blowouts, with precipitation and potential evapotranspiration as secondary factors for this region. Roads have little effect on the development and deformation of blowouts, but the movement of cattle and sheep across the region has a big influence. Therefore, the desertification process of Hulun Buir grassland is driven by both natural and human factors.

Transmission dynamics and economic impacts of sheeppox and goatpox disease outbreak in Chifra district of Afar Region Ethiopia

Sheep and goatpox are caused by pox virus and economically very important. The study was conducted to estimate the economic losses due to sheep and goatpox, to estimate the morbidity and mortality as well as the transmission parameters. A cross sectional study was conducted in Chifra districts of Afar region from July 2020 to December 2020 using questioner survey. For the estimation of the economic impacts and the transmission parameters of the outbreak, a data was collected at the end of the outbreak through a direct face to face interview. Transmission parameters were estimated based on a final size approach. Whereas, economic impacts were estimated descriptively using different formulas based on the type of losses. The overall morbidity, mortality and case fatality of sheep and goatpox were 51.6%, 2.0%, and 3.9%, respectively. The average flock level losses due to treatment cost, mortality and abortion were 320.3, 1250 and 1195.6 Ethiopian birr (ETB), respectively. The outbreak caused a total of 63617 ETB losses in the district. The highest loss was due to mortality (28750ETB), whereas the least loss was due to treatment cost (7367ETB). The outbreak had 0.14 and 1.41 transmission rate parameters per day and basic reproduction ratio, respectively. There was a significant difference in the transmission of the infection between individual animals (p < 0.001). To limit the economic losses due to this disease, the farmers should give more attention towards this disease and a systematic control program comprising vaccination and limitation of movement of sheep and goat should be implemented to alleviate the losses due to sheep and goatpox.

Resource allocation and rising complexity during the Iron Age IIA: An isotopic case study from Khirbet Summeily, Israel

Isotopic analyses can be a useful tool in identifying animal exploitation patterns and herding strategies in the southern Levant. Here, carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotope analyses of domestic animal tooth enamel are used to investigate herd management at the Iron Age IIA site of Khirbet Summeily in Israel. The site was located in a prime ecological and political locale along the fringes of the emerging polity (potentially Judah), which ascended to regional significance by the Iron Age IIB. In order to understand the diets and movement of sheep, goats and cattle, we undertook intra-tooth sequential sampling and isotopic analyses of mandibular molars (n = 20). Results suggest that the livestock recovered at Khirbet Summeily were raised in different locations with varied management patterns. Variation in the dietary intake of sheep and goats indicates that they were pastured in different ecological zones. While some goats were mobile across long-distances, the majority of livestock were from local and regionally managed herds. Alongside material evidence of exotic goods from nearby polities, our findings lend further support to the idea that Khirbet Summeily acted as a resource allocation outpost strategically located on the edge of a political entity (potentially Judah), suggesting a trend towards increased economic complexity during the Iron Age IIA.

The Visual, Auditory, and Physical Environment of Livestock Handling Facilities and Its Effect on Ease of Movement of Cattle, Pigs, and Sheep

The visual, auditory, and physical environment livestock are handled in will have an effect on the ease of movement through races and corrals that are used for veterinary treatment, loading trucks or at slaughter houses. When livestock refuse to move easily through a handling facility, people are more likely to use electric goads (prods) or other aversive methods to move them forward. This is a major animal welfare concern. Modification of the environment can improve livestock movement and reduce aversive handling methods. In existing facilities used for handling cattle, pigs or sheep, simple changes such as, adding a light to a dark race entrance or reducing loud intermittent noise may improve livestock movement. Eliminating distractions such as, a noisy truck near a lairage can also facilitate cattle movement and reduce stopping or turning back. In an outdoor facility, sharp shadows on the floor were more likely to be associated with cattle stopping compared to no shadows or soft faint shadows. The installation of small solid walls to prevent approaching animals from seeing either moving equipment, vehicles or people in front of them may also improve forward livestock movement. Non-slip flooring is essential to prevent slipping and falling during handling. Rebuilding or completely redesigning an existing facility is often not required. Outcome based indicators should be used to assess continuous improvements in handling. Some of the commonly used measurable of handling are slipping and falling, stopping, turning back, vocalization during handling and electric prod use. Collecting data both before and after an environmental modification can be used to determine its effectiveness.

Motor activity of sheep on pasture in the conditions of Eastern Siberia, Russia

Aim. To study the motor activity of sheep of the Zabaykal (Transbaikal) and Agin breeds in year‐round grazing in relation to the season of the year.Material and Methods. The research was carried out in the steppe zone of the Aginsky District of Zabaykalsky Territory. Garmin eTrex 20x GPS receivers were used in the research with the help of which motor activity and the speed of sheep in pasture were monitored. Weather conditions were taken into account for the relevant research periods using data from the meteorological service.Results. Average daily air temperature in winter was – 23.30°C, air velocity 1.3 m/s and relative air humidity 67.3%, and in spring was 13.70°C; 4.1 m/s and 35.6%, in summer – 20.90°C; 1.6 m/s and 77.3% and in autumn – 1.10°С below zero, 2.4 m/s and 50.1%. It was found that the sheep being monitored travelled different distances with different speeds of movement depending on the season of the year and origin. They travelled the greatest distance in winter with a higher average speed of movement and a shorter distance in the summer. At the same time, it was noted that semi‐coarse‐wooled (Agin) sheep passed 12378 m during the 8‐hour grazing period, which is 24.9% more than fine‐wooled (Zabaykal) sheep (Р˂0.01), in spring – 8,168 m (22.3% more, Р ˂0.05), summer – 6,511 m (24.5% more, Р˂0.01) and autumn – 9,214 m (40.3% more). The average speed of movement of semi‐coarse‐wooled sheep was higher than fine‐wooled by 80.0% (P˂0.05), 25.0, 9.1 and 23.1% (P˂0.05), respecƟvely. The nutritional value of 1 kg of dry matter of pasture grass was higher in the summer and amounted to 0.68 units with a content of 1 unit 93.1 g of digestible protein. Conclusion. The research data allow us to conclude that the motor activityand the speed of movement of sheep in pasture directly depends on the season of the year and the nutritional value of pasture grass, as well as on type of breed.

Livestock Movement in Gaurisankhar Valley, Dolakha, Nepal

Animals are an integral part of subsistence farming system. They are considered as assets and are the source of food and manure. In mountains of Nepal, transhumance ruminant production system is practiced this practice of herding of cattle like Yak (Nak, Chauri)/ sheep has been practiced for generation in the mountains of Nepal. This study is based on household questionnaire survey, FGD and interview in Gaurishankar gaupalika shows the movement of sheep ranged from 1,200m to 4,500m elevation and the movement of Yak ranged from 2,000m to 3,500masl. The agricultural fields around the settlements are cultivated when the herds remained in high mountain pasture. After returning to the village, they are tied to the field and their waste is used for manuring the agricultural lands. The types and size of livestock has also undergone a significant change. The number of sheep and buffalo have decreased due to lack of market while the Yak farming has been gaining popularity because of increase in national and international demand for Yak products.

Potential for autonomous detection of lambing using global navigation satellite system technology

Context On-animal sensing systems are being promoted as a solution to the increased demand for monitoring livestock for health and welfare. One key sensor platform, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) positioning, provides information on the location and movement of sheep. This information could be used to detect partition in sheep, a key period of time when both ewes and lambs are at risk. The development of algorithms based on key behavioural features could provide alerts to sheep managers to enable intervention when problems arise. Aims To investigate the use of GNSS monitoring as a method for detecting behavioural changes in sheep in the period around parturition. Methods GNSS collars were attached to 40 late gestation ewes grazing a 3.09 ha paddock in New Zealand. Several metrics were derived: (i) mean daily speed, (ii) maximum daily speed, (iii) minimum daily speed, (iv) mean daily distance to peers, and (v) spatial paddock utilisation by 95% minimum convex polygon. Speed metrics and distance to peers were also evaluated at an hourly scale for the 12 h before and 12 h after lambing. Key results Minimum daily speed peaked on the day of parturition (P &amp;lt; 0.001), suggesting animals may have been expressing more agitation and did not settle. Isolation was also evident during this time, with postpartum ewes located further from their peers than pre-partum ewes (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Day of lambing was also evident by reduced spatial paddock utilisation (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Conclusions This study demonstrates that GNSS technology can be used to detect parturition-related behaviours in sheep at a day scale; however, detection at the hour scale using GNSS is not possible. Implications This research highlights the opportunity to develop predictive models that autonomously detect behavioural changes in ewes at parturition using GNSS. This could then be extended to identify ewes experiencing prolonged parturition, for example dystocic birth enabling intervention which would improve both production and welfare outcomes for the sheep industry.

Brucella melitensis, a latent “travel bacterium,” continual spread and expansion from Northern to Southern China and its relationship to worldwide lineages

ABSTRACT Brucellosis caused by Brucella melitensis is considered to be one of the most important zoonotic diseases in China. In this study, Conventional bio-typing, MLVA (multiple locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis), and WGS (whole-genome sequencing)-SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) were used to study the genetic similarity of B. melitensis in northern and southern China and analyze its relationship with worldwide lineages. Currently, the distribution of species/biovars of B. melitensis has obviously changed, and B. melitensis has become the dominant species in southern regions of China. Strains from the southern had a common geographic origin with strains from the northern. Many MLVA-16 events were shared in the genotypes of the southern and northern strains, suggest that genotypic movement occurred from north to south. Based on WGS-SNP analysis, strains from different provinces were closely related and may have descended from one common ancestor, suggests that the southern strains originated from northern China. These data indicate that B. melitensis is a latent “travel bacterium” that spread and expanded from North China to South China. Moreover, B. melitensis strains from China are also genetically related to strains from other Asian regions (Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, and India). The movement of infected sheep and their products requires control.

Behind the steps of ancient sheep mobility in Iberia: new insights from a geometric morphometric approach

In Western Europe, the transition from the middle Iron Age to the early Roman period implied changes in livestock practices, with the emergence of a specialized and selective animal husbandry. These changes have been related in Italy and south of France with changes in livestock management involving their mobility between ecologically complementary areas. The study of this question in the Iberian Peninsula has only been partially investigated through palaeoenvironmental analyses, and the information about the origin and significance of this phenomenon is very scarce. To shed new light on this topic we used an archaeozoological approach, with the application of geometric morphometrics. They were used to study size and shape variability in sheep astragali from 9 sites dating from the middle Iron Age to the early Roman period (5th c. BC–3rd c. AD) and located on the Pyrenees and on the north-eastern Iberian coast as a case study. The results we obtained, combined with Number of Identified Specimens (NISP) and kill-off patterns, showed local specificities in terms of breeding methods and sheep morphologies between the two areas during the middle Iron Age. On the contrary, sheep with similar size and the implementation and development of similar sheep husbandry practices in the Pyrenees and the north-eastern Iberian coast were documented during the early Roman period. These results suggest the existence of livestock links between these two areas during the Roman period, that could be involved a possible movement of sheep between the lowlands and the Pyrenees for the first time.

The ups & downs of Iron Age animal management on the Oxfordshire Ridgeway, south-central England: A multi-isotope approach

The hillforts of the Oxfordshire Ridgeway in south-central England have been interpreted as central places in the Early/Middle Iron Age, ca. 600–100 BCE, serving, among other functions, to integrate the management of animals, particularly sheep, between the upland Chalk downs and the adjacent low-lying Vale of the White Horse. Since these landforms differ geologically and pedologically, they lead to distinct isotopic ratios in the biosphere and so present the potential to investigate animal management practices in some detail. Here, we report the results of a multi-isotope study on domestic fauna (cattle, sheep and pig) within a very constrained study area, with the aim of testing the hypothesis that the Ridgeway's hillforts were placed to control and coordinate the movement of sheep between the Chalk and the Vale. However, the results suggest a different scenario. Bone collagen δ15N results indicate that cattle and sheep were both kept locally. Strontium isotopes, conversely, indicate that, while sheep and pigs were raised locally, cattle appear to have been mainly kept in the Vale during at least the first year of their lives. The apparent discrepancy between the two isotopes can be reconciled by the different periods of life represented by enamel and bone collagen measurements, with the movement of cattle onto the Ridgeway in their second or third year of life. Sequential measurements of δ13C and δ15N in dentine, and of δ13Cc and δ18Oc in enamel, provide further detail on the management of cattle, and offer some support for the above scenario. Early/Middle Iron Age stock-keeping in south-central England was complex, being integrated in some respects but distinct in others. The study demonstrates the level of detail it is possible to achieve with a multi-isotope approach to animal management practices in prehistory. The focus on a micro-region contrasts with, or rather complements, studies addressing larger-scale movement of animals in the past.

From texts to teeth: A multi-isotope study of sheep and goat herding practices in the Late Bronze Age (‘Mycenaean’) polity of Knossos, Crete

Linear B administrative documents of the late second millennium BC from urban Knossos, Crete, reveal that spatially extensive and centrally monitored sheep flocks and wool production played a fundamental role in Mycenaean palatial economy. Here we employ multi-isotope (δ13C, δ18O, 87Sr/86Sr) analysis of sequentially sampled sheep and goat tooth enamel bioapatite to explore life histories of animals consumed at Knossos. Interpretation of isotopic results incorporates new baseline data on 87Sr/86Sr ratios of bioavailable Sr from modern Cretan plants collected in relevant zones. Results reveal a variety of herding regimes, including seasonal (‘wet/winter’ to ‘dry/summer’) vertical movement of sheep from lowland to highland locations, more restricted mobility for goats in lowland to mid-altitude territories, possible input of fodder to goat diet, and exploitation of a range of plant ecosystems. Results broadly match documentary evidence and ethnographic/ecological expectations for sheep and goat herding at varying scales and underline the role of Knossos in mobilising resources from a range of herding systems and territories.

Has the red sheep tick, Haemaphysalis punctata, recently expanded its range in England?

The red sheep tick, Haemaphysalis punctata (Ixodida: Ixodidae), has been reported as present in the U.K. for more than a century; however, very little has been written about its distribution. In recent years, numbers of detections of this tick species reported to the Public Health England (PHE) Tick Surveillance Scheme have increased. This rise in the number of records may be attributable to increased tick surveillance activities or to the increased distribution of this species of tick in parts of England. This paper reviews published reports of H.punctata and all data held by the Biological Records Centre and PHE, and summarizes a number of field studies conducted by PHE and the Animal and Plant Health Agency over the past 8 years. It would appear from the evidence presented here that H.punctata may be expanding its range across the eastern part of the South Downs National Park, where there have also been reports of this tick species biting humans. It is possible that the movement of sheep between grassland sites is facilitating this spread. Further studies that better elucidate the ecology of this tick and its possible role as a vector of human and veterinary diseases are now warranted.

An outbreak of Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with contaminated salad leaves: epidemiological, genomic and food trace back investigations - CORRIGENDUM.

In August 2015, Public Health England detected an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serotype O157:H7 caused by contaminated salad leaves in a mixed leaf prepacked salad product from a national retailer. The implicated leaves were cultivated at five different farms and the zoonotic source of the outbreak strain was not determined. In March 2016, additional isolates from new cases were identified that shared a recent common ancestor with the outbreak strain. A case-case study involving the cases identified in 2016 revealed that ovine exposures were associated with illness (n = 16; AOR 8·24; 95% CI 1·55-39·74). By mapping the recent movement of sheep and lambs across the United Kingdom, epidemiological links were established between the cases reporting ovine exposures. Given the close phylogenetic relationship between the outbreak strain and the isolates from cases with ovine exposures, it is plausible that ovine faeces may have contaminated the salad leaves via untreated irrigation water or run-off from fields nearby. Timely and targeted veterinary and environmental sampling should be considered during foodborne outbreaks of STEC, particularly where ready to eat vegetables and salads are implicated.