Han Chengquan, Li Min, Li Fukuan, Wang Zhennan, Hu Xiyi, Yang Yan, Wang Hui, Lv Shenjin
College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China.
Linyi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Linyi, Shandong 276012, China.
Physiol Behav. 2024 Apr 1;277:114504. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114504. Epub 2024 Feb 24.
Under the current meat sheep breeding system, newborn lambs usually live with their mothers until weaning, and in daily management, they often need to be separated from their ewes for a short period due to dehorning, disease treatment, etc. Such short-term separation was considered to be a high-intensity stress for the lambs. This study aimed to explore the effects of 1 h sensory separations on behaviors and the concentration of stress-related indicators of small-tailed Han lambs. Lambs were assigned to four groups: auditory, visual, and tactile separation (AVT) group; visual and tactile separation (VT) group; tactile separation (T) group; and control (C) group. Then they were separated from their mothers for one hour on postnatal days 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42. Results showed the separated lambs (AVT, VT, and T groups) spent less time lying down relaxing and more time looking around, exploring, vocalizing, and attempting to escape (P < 0.05). Lambs separated by lack of tactile contact only exhibited the most escaping and moving behavior. Twin-born lambs showed less moving, escaping, and vocalizing than single-born lambs (P < 0.05). The separation also led to a rise in serum globulin levels and a decrease in tetraiodothyronine. In conclusion, this study showed that temporary 1 h ewe-lamb separations could affect behaviors and the serum levels of stress indicators of lambs. The behavioral responses were more obvious when lambs were separated by lack of tactile contact only, and in single-born lambs. It can conclude that indicated that when lambs need to be temporarily separated from ewes in daily management production, it would be better to let them stay together with their littermates, and make them avoid hearing or seeing the ewes, such management may partially reduce the separation stress, thereby improving the welfare and breeding efficiency of sheep.
在当前的肉羊养殖体系下，新生羔羊通常与母亲生活在一起直至断奶，在日常管理中，由于去角、疾病治疗等原因，它们经常需要与母羊短时间分离。这种短期分离被认为是羔羊的高强度应激。本研究旨在探讨1小时感觉分离对小尾寒羊羔羊行为及应激相关指标浓度的影响。将羔羊分为四组：听觉、视觉和触觉分离（AVT）组；视觉和触觉分离（VT）组；触觉分离（T）组；以及对照组（C）组。然后在出生后第14、21、28、35和42天让它们与母亲分离1小时。结果显示，分离的羔羊（AVT、VT和T组）躺下放松的时间减少，四处张望、探索、发声和试图逃脱的时间增加（P<0.05）。仅因缺乏触觉接触而分离的羔羊表现出最多的逃脱和移动行为。双羔出生的羔羊比单羔出生的羔羊移动、逃脱和发声更少（P<0.05）。分离还导致血清球蛋白水平升高和甲状腺素降低。总之，本研究表明，母羊与羔羊1小时的临时分离会影响羔羊的行为和应激指标的血清水平。当羔羊仅因缺乏触觉接触而分离时，行为反应更明显，单羔出生的羔羊也是如此。可以得出结论，在日常管理生产中，当羔羊需要与母羊临时分离时，最好让它们与同窝羔羊待在一起，并避免它们听到或看到母羊，这样的管理可能会部分减轻分离应激，从而提高绵羊的福利和繁殖效率。
