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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 48(7)

Reduced space allowance for adult sheep in lairage for 24 hours limits lying behaviour but not drinking behaviour

E. C. Jongman A D , M. K. Edge B , K. L. Butler C and G. M. Cronin A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Animal Welfare Science Centre, DPI Victoria, Sneydes Road, Werribee, Vic. 3030, Australia.

B Symbio Alliance Consulting, Brandl Street, Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane, Qld 4113, Australia.

C Biometrics Group, DPI Victoria, Sneydes Road, Werribee, Vic. 3030, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: Ellen.Jongman@dpi.vic.gov.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48(7) 1048-1051 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08039
Submitted: 15 January 2008  Accepted: 8 April 2008   Published: 20 June 2008

Abstract

The key lairage requirements for livestock include sufficient space to lie down, sufficient time to allow recovery from travel, and access to water to allow recovery from dehydration. Current recommendations for lairage of adult sheep include that holding pens should provide no less space than 0.6 m2 per sheep. Particularly during periods when large numbers of sheep are culled, space allowances may be limited to 0.3 m2 or less, which may reduce the ability of individual sheep to lie down or access water.

Adult Merino-cross sheep were allocated to one of four space allowance treatments during unloading from commercial transport vehicles at a commercial abattoir after an average transport time of 3 h. The treatments were 0.3, 0.45, 0.6 and 1.0 m2/sheep and each pen measured 18 m2. Differences in space allowance were achieved by varying the number of sheep per pen, with pens holding 18 (1 m2), 30 (0.6 m2), 40 (0.45 m2) and 60 (0.3 m2) animals. In each pen, eight focal sheep were randomly selected and marked on the back for identification on video records. The sheep remained in the lairage treatments for 24 h and were continuously recorded on video using low light cameras. The data were subsequently analysed for both lying and drinking behaviours after 8 and 24 h in lairage. There were five replicates of all treatments over a 3-week period.

A space allowance of 0.3 m2/sheep reduced the time sheep spent lying and the proportion of sheep that lay down at least once, compared with greater space allowances. Space allowances between 0.3 and 1 m2/sheep showed a linear relationship with the time sheep spent lying during the first 24 h. Optimal space allowance may be greater than 1 m2, based on lying behaviour. Drinking behaviour was not affected by space allowance in a 24 h period in lairage although overall 20% of sheep were not observed to drink after 24 h in lairage.


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