Investigating the behavioural responses of sheep used for teaching veterinary undergraduates

The use of animals for teaching veterinary medicine to veterinary students could induce stress and therefore affect the welfare of these animals.

Six Easycare ewes were used for clinical examination classes for veterinary students once a week, for 5 consecutive weeks. Sheep behaviour was video recorded before, during and after these classes, and subsequently categorised into maintenance or stress behaviour. Data were analysed to describe behaviour observed before, during and after teaching sessions, to investigate if habituation to stress developed over the 5 weeks and to explore what factors (day, teaching session within the day, number of people in the pen) influenced stress behaviour.

Individual differences in both the number of stress behaviours exhibited and the overall stress response were observed between sheep. Overall, the total number of stress behaviours observed decreased between Day 1 and Day 5. Behaviour seen after teaching varied between days, with sheep spending more time lying on Days 2 and 3 and more time eating on Days 4 and 5. Sheep spent less time standing on all days after being used for teaching.

The individual differences between sheep, in combination with the low number of sheep and the short observational time, may have affected the outcomes of the study.

Sheep experience stress when used in clinical examination classes, with variation between individuals. The lower number of stress behaviours observed in the last 2 days may suggest habituation to these classes. The increase in lying behaviour after teaching may indicate potential tiredness.