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Psychobiological consequences of two different weaning methods in sheep
P Orgeur1, S Bernard, M Naciri
1Laboratoire de comportement animal, Inra/CNRS, Nouzilly, France. orgeur@tours.inra.fr
Reproduction, Nutrition, Development
|May 18, 1999
Summary
Sudden weaning in sheep, whether total or partial separation, had limited negative effects. While total separation reduced vocalization and increased coccidial oocysts in lambs, hormonal and immune responses remained stable.
Area of Science:
- Animal Behavior
- Animal Husbandry
- Veterinary Science
Background:
- Weaning disrupts mother-infant contact, with natural sheep weaning being gradual.
- Artificial weaning methods can cause psychobiological stress in sheep.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess behavioral, hormonal, and immune effects of two sudden weaning strategies: total separation (TS) and partial separation (PS).
- To compare consequences in Ile-de-France ewes and their lambs.
Main Methods:
- 42 ewes and 60 lambs were subjected to either TS or PS weaning.
- Behavioral (vocalization), hormonal (cortisol), immune (humoral response), parasitic (oocyst excretion), and growth parameters were measured.
Main Results:
- TS and PS groups vocalized less and for shorter durations compared to controls.
- Plasmatic cortisol and humoral immune responses were unaffected by either weaning method.
- TS lambs showed increased coccidial oocyst excretion and reduced growth rates in females.
Conclusions:
- Sudden weaning methods in sheep have limited adverse effects on ewes and lambs.
- TS weaning led to higher parasite load and slower growth in female lambs, but overall impacts were less severe than in primates or rodents.