The most significant stressors in intensive sheep production

In this paper are described the most important stressors in intensive sheep production on farms and pastures. Stressors on farms and pastures mostly originate from adverse housing conditions, improper zootechnical procedures, veterinary procedures (treatment, vaccinations, blood tests, surgery), animal husbandry procedures (labeling, weaning, grouping, shearing, shortening the tail, hoof care), unsuitable weather conditions (extreme heat and cold) and insufficient nutrition. The paper puts out special emphasis on the consideration of period of life in which sheep were subjected to additional loads and susceptible to effects of these stressors, such as birth, juvenile period, puberty, oestrus, advanced pregnancy, parturition and the puerperal period. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31086 i br. TR 31053]