Postgraduate Showcase 27 Frontiers in Agriculture Improving lamb survival with calmer sheep Sam Bickell BSc (Animal Science) Animal Production Systems
Background Loss of 1 million lambs per year 4-6% die within first 3 days Inadequate maternal care
Improving lamb survival Ewe-lamb bond - Selective - Vital for lamb survival Temperament - Reactivity of an animal to humans and isolation - orrelates with a ewes maternal behaviour
My research Investigating the role of temperament on the establishment of the ewe-lamb bond alm and ervous merino sheep
Selection protocol alm ewes ervous ewes Ram BREEDIG Ram Lamb rop TEMPERAMET TESTIG Top calm rams (1) All ewes Other rams castrated Top nervous rams (1) All ewes
My experiments Determine if temperament is due to nature or nurture Detect differences in bonding behaviour of ewes and lambs with different temperaments
ature vs. urture Inherited trait (h².26 -.4) ot fixed at birth Modulated by maternal behaviour Hypothesis: Lamb temperament will be determined by the interaction of its genes with maternal behaviour
ature vs. urture Lamb born from calm ewe Lamb born from nervous ewe alm ewe ervous ewe alm ewe ervous ewe
Results 42 lambs Birth ewe alm Foster ewe alm 26 1
Results 42 lambs Birth ewe alm ervous Foster ewe alm ervous 26 1 7
Results 42 lambs Birth ewe alm ervous alm Foster ewe alm ervous ervous 26 1 7 13
Results 42 lambs Birth ewe alm ervous alm ervous Foster ewe alm ervous ervous alm 26 1 7 13 12
ature vs. urture
Open field test
Open field test Bleats (per min) Squares crossed (per min) 1 * 6 * 5 3 ature ature Jumps (per min) Latency to jump (sec) 3 * 3 * 2 1 2 1 ature ature * P value <.5
Open field test Bleats (per min) Squares crossed (per min) 1 * 6 * 5 3 ature urture ature Jumps (per min) Latency to jump (sec) 3 * 3 * 2 1 2 1 ature ature * P value <.5
Open field test Bleats (per min) Squares crossed (per min) 1 5 * 6 3 * ature urture ature urture Jumps (per min) Latency to jump (sec) 3 * 3 * 2 1 2 1 ature ature * P value <.5
Open field test Bleats (per min) Squares crossed (per min) 1 5 * 6 3 * ature urture ature urture Jumps (per min) Latency to jump (sec) 3 * 3 * 2 1 2 1 ature urture ature * P value <.5
Open field test Bleats (per min) Squares crossed (per min) 1 5 * 6 3 * ature urture ature urture Jumps (per min) Latency to jump (sec) 3 2 1 * 3 2 1 * ature urture ature urture * P value <.5
Testing at weaning 3 min Arena test 1 min Box test
Box and Arena test 18 Bleats (per min) 9 16 8 rossings (per min) *** ervous alm 1 *** Agitation *** p value <.1 5 ature
Box and Arena test 18 Bleats (per min) 9 16 8 rossings (per min) *** ervous alm 1 *** Agitation *** p value <.1 5 ature urture
Box and Arena test 18 Bleats (per min) 9 16 8 rossings (per min) *** ervous alm 1 *** Agitation *** p value <.1 5 ature urture
Box and Arena test 18 Bleats (per min) 9 16 8 rossings (per min) *** ervous alm 1 *** Agitation *** p value <.1 5 ature urture
onclusion Temperament not modulated by maternal behaviour
My experiments Determine if temperament is due to nature or nurture
My experiments Determine if temperament is due to nature or nurture Detect differences in bonding behaviour of ewes and lambs with different temperaments
Bonding behaviour Behaviour is influenced by temperament alm ewes show better maternal behaviour than ervous ewes - more bleats and grooming - more time on birth site atural farming conditions Hypothesis: alm ewes and lambs show better bonding behaviour than nervous ewes and lambs
Bonding behaviour Ewe Time to 1 st stand + lick lamb
Bonding behaviour Ewe Time to 1 st stand + lick lamb Rejection behaviour
Bonding behaviour Ewe Time to 1 st stand + lick lamb Rejection behaviour Isolation from flock
Bonding behaviour Ewe Time to 1 st stand + lick lamb Rejection behaviour Isolation from flock Movements from birthsite
Bonding behaviour Ewe Time to 1st stand + lick lamb Rejection behaviour Isolation from flock Movements from birthsite Lamb Time to 1st stand
Bonding behaviour Ewe Time to 1 st stand + lick lamb Rejection behaviour Isolation from flock Movements from birthsite Lamb Time to 1 st stand Time to 1 st suck
Bonding behaviour Ewe Time to 1 st stand + lick lamb Rejection behaviour Isolation from flock Movements from birthsite Lamb Time to 1 st stand Time to 1 st suck Acceptance at the udder
26 Results Observed 23 ewes Maiden Experienced alm 6 4 ervous 3 1 Limited to day observations Overcrowding Direct observations Unknown ID of dead lambs
Solutions Remote controlled cameras Move the lambed ewes out Tag lambs after observations
27 Results 43 complete recordings Maiden Experienced alm 15 13 ervous 9 6
Murphy's results (1999) Lamb mortality alm (497) ervous (519) Singles 7% 16% * Twins 16% 26% * Total mortality 54 (11%) 13 (2%) * Lamb birth weight 4.51±.15 4.41 ±.1 kg
Outcomes Know the genetic and behavioural role of temperament in the ewe-lamb bond Improve the establishment of the bond Improve lamb survival
Supervisors Dr Dominique Blache Dr Raymond owak Sponsors Acknowledgements School of Animal Biology Meat and Livestock Australia Farm supervisor and helpers Pascal, Aprille, Monique, eline, Ken & Steve