Forty non-pregnant and non-lactating multiparus ewes of the local Ossemi breed, about 4 years in age and 50 kg in weight were used in this investigation. They were divided into four groups each of 10 ewes.
Assiut Vet. Med. J. Vol. 52 No. 109 April 2006
Animals in each group were housed together under normal environmental conditions in a separate well-ventilated and well-lighted straw-bedded pen. All groups were subjected to a 10 days preliminary period for group acclimatization, stability and welfare. After that, ewes in the first group were used as control animals where they were never moved from their pen and no more animals were added. However, animals of the second group were used for making regrouping with that of the third group or regrouping and relocation with that of the fourth one for three times during the studying period at weekly intervals. Ewes were ad libitum fed on commercial concentrate mixture and wheat straw and average daily food intake was calculated, however drinking water was freely available allover the experiment. Behavioral pattern of the experimented animals was recorded at each social and pen exchange. Moreover, they were clinically examined to determine their average pulse rate, respiratory rate and body temperature. Blood samples were collected to measure their serum cortisol level. The obtained results indicated that, moving and merging of sheep through regrouping and regrouping with relocation were resulted in aversive environmental conditions and leaded to increased aggression and consequent injuries and reflected prominently on their behavior, food intake and serum cortisol level. Therefore, stability of the herd as well as avoidance of moving and merging as much as possible should be considered during
establishing their farms.