Lying during transport by lambs depends on the duration of pre-transport food and water deprivation as well as the duration of transport itself

  • Dominic Niemeyer, CSIRO Livestock Industries, FD McMaster Laboratories, Armidale NSW Australia 2350, Australia
  • Dr Andrew Fisher, Faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Welfare Science Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne VIC Australia 3010, Australia
  • Dr Caroline Lee, CSIRO Livestock Industries, FD McMaster Laboratories, Armidale NSW Australia 2350, Australia
  • David Paull, CSIRO Livestock Industries, FD McMaster Laboratories, Armidale NSW Australia 2350, Australia
  • Jim Lea, CSIRO Livestock Industries, FD McMaster Laboratories, Armidale NSW Australia 2350, Australia
  • Drewe Ferguson, CSIRO Livestock Industries, FD McMaster Laboratories, Armidale NSW Australia 2350, Australia

    • Australian livestock are commonly subjected to periods of food and water deprivation (FWD) prior to transport. The aim was to quantify the effect of pre-transport FWD on the response to transport in lambs. Merino lambs (n = 180; 6-7 months of age) were used for the experiment. Of these, detailed measurements were made on 120 focal ewe lambs. A factorial design was used comprising three pre-transport FWD treatments (0, 12 and 24 h) and two transport duration treatments (12 and 24 h), and these were replicated twice over a period of 4 weeks. Lambs were transported at the recommended stocking density (0.18 m2/animal) during Autumn (Mean temperature and range 11.3oC, 0.4 - 23.3oC). Detailed behavioural and physiological measurements were recorded pre- and post-FWD and pre- and post-transport but only the lying behaviour result are presented here. Lying behaviour during transport was measured using IceTagTM behavioural monitors. The data were analysed using GLM procedure in SAS. Lying time during transport was significantly influenced by the interaction between FWD duration x transport duration (P<0.01). Over 12 h transport, there was no significant difference in lying time between the FWD treatments. However, for the longer journey of 24 h, the lambs from the 12 and 24 h FWD treatments spent more time lying (20.2 and 12.5 min, respectively) than the lambs subjected to no FWD (3.0 min; P<0.01). The overall level of lying behaviour was relatively low and this was most likely due to stocking density. Furthermore, it is not possible to distinguish whether lying bouts were preceded by slippage or a loss in balance. It was concluded that lying incidence during transport of lambs depends on both the duration of transport and whether or not the lambs have been exposed to pre-transport periods of FWD.