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Management of inappetant sheep during export by sea
Author(s) -
NORRIS RT,
McDONALD CL,
RICHARDS RB,
HYDER MW,
GITTINS SP,
NORMAN GJ
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1990.tb07777.x
Subject(s) - zoology , trough (economics) , biology , feedlot , significant difference , medicine , economics , macroeconomics
SUMMARY In the first of 2 experiments, a simulated voyage was conducted to examine the effects of various treatments on bodyweight change and feeding frequency of inappetant sheep at the end of lot‐feeding (non‐feeders). The treatments, applied during simulated shipping, were: normal quantities of feed and length of troughs; extra trough length; extra feed. Adult Merino wethers (n = 108) were used in each treatment. A voyage to the Middle East was then conducted to establish whether shipboard mortality could be reduced by separating non‐feeders (n = 305) from feeders (n = 5,620) late in the feedlot phase and housing the groups separately aboard ship. A control group of non‐feeders (n = 215) mixed with feeders (n = 5,732) was used for comparison. Bars (marker bars), containing a coloured dye, were attached to feed troughs to mark sheep that fed. Most non‐feeders (82%) began eating when placed in shipping pens in both studies. However, there was no significant difference in percentage of sheep that fed between non‐feeders given extra trough length or extra feed compared with non‐feeders given standard management at any stage of simulated shipping. There was no significant difference in mean bodyweights between treatment groups on days 1,8 and 15 of simulated shipping. Differences in bodyweight on d 22 were probably associated with different levels of gut fill. Death rates were not significantly different in separated and control groups (1.1%, 0.9%, P = 0.6) in the voyage of 14 d to the Middle East. The proportion of 102 feedlot non‐feeders and 104 feedlot feeders that failed to eat aboard ship declined with day of voyage to 4% and 2% respectively and was not significantly different between the groups 3 to 5 d and 9 to 11 d after embarkation. The findings suggested that sheep that die of inanition aboard ship are not inhibited from eating because of competition from other sheep or social dominance. The observation that most non‐feeders began eating aboard ship does not support the suggestion that non‐feeders should be detected in the feedlot and withheld from export. A better option is to identify and modify those factors that produce non‐feeders. It is considered that these factors operate on the farm of origin