Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-nptnm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-11T20:54:10.189Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Dominance patterns and positional behaviour of sheep in yards

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. Dove ,
R. G. Beilharz  and
J. L. Black
H. Dove
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production, School of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
R. G. Beilharz
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production, School of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
J. L. Black
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production, School of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
Get access

Summary

1. Observations were conducted to ascertain the social dominance structure in two small groups of castrated male Corriedale sheep. In these and a third group, the order of the sheep past a fixed point was recorded, when they were moving either voluntarily or under force. Records were also made of the way in which the sheep distributed themselves spatially in a confined area, relative to one or two men simulating yard work. In a fourth group divided into two sub-groups, the social dominance structure was determined before and after the subgroups were mixed, to assess the effect of mixing.

2. The small groups showed a distinct social dominance hierarchy of a linear type, similar to that found in cattle and pigs. The dominance status of individual animals was correlated with their body weight, wither height and height at hocks. Dominance status within a subgroup remained stable following the mixing of sub-groups.

3. The sheep adopted consistent positions in forced movement, and in relation to one or two men simulating yard work. There was no consistency in voluntary movement. Dominant animals did not lead the forced movement, were usually some distance from man, and were widely scattered from each other.

4. Dominance status was closely related to positional behaviour.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , October 1974 , pp. 157 - 168
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1974

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allee, W. C. 1952. Structure et physiologie des societes animates. Colloques Internationaux du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, 1950.Google Scholar
Baxter, S. H. 1969. The environmental complex in livestock housing. Scot. Fm Build. Investig. Unit, Report No. 4 (see page 7).Google Scholar
Beilharz, R. G. and Cox, D. F. 1967. Social dominance in swine. Anim. Behav 15: 117–122.Google Scholar
Beilharz, R. G. and Mylrea, P. G. 1963a. Social position and behaviour of dairy heifers in yards. Anim. Behav 11: 522–528.Google Scholar
Beilharz, R. G. and Mylrea, P. G. 1963b. Social position and movement orders of dairy heifers in yards. Anim. Behav 11: 529–533.Google Scholar
Bryant, M. J. 1972. The social environment: behaviour and stress in housed livestock. Vet. Rec 90: 351–359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Campbell, D. J. and Fraser, A. F. 1961. A note on animal behaviour as a factor in parasitism. Can. vet. J 2: 414–415Google ScholarPubMed
Candland, D. K. and Bloomquist, D. W. 1965. Interspecies comparison of the reliability of dominance orders. J. comp. physiol. Psychol 59: 135–137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ewbank, R. 1973. Preliminary observations on the apparent lack of dominance and leadership hierarchies in fattening sheep. Br. vet. J 129: 501–502.Google Scholar
Ewbank, R. and Meese, G. B. 1971. Aggressive behaviour in groups of domesticated pigs on removal and return of individuals. Anim. Prod 13: 685–694.Google Scholar
Hafez, E. S. E. and Lindsay, D. R. 1965. Behavioural responses in farm animals and their relevance to research techniques. Anim. Breed. Abstr 33: 1–16.Google Scholar
Hunter, R. F. and Milner, C. 1963. The behaviour of individual, related and groups of South Country Cheviot Hill sheep. Anim. Behav 11: 507–513.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiley, M. 1973. The behavioural problems that interfere with production in animals under intensive husbandry. Proc. 3rd World Conf. on Anim. Prod. Pre-Conference Vol. 3, 4(a), 17–23.Google Scholar
Kilgour, R. and Scott, T. H. 1959. Leadership in a herd of dairy cows. Proc. N.Z. Soc. Anim. Prod 19: 36–43.Google Scholar
McBride, G. 1959. The influence of social behaviour on experimental design in animal husbandry. Anim. Prod 1: 81–84.Google Scholar
McBride, G., Arnold, G. W., Alexander, G. and Lynch, J. J., with contributions by Lindsay, D. R., Beilharz, R. G. and Hilder, E. J. 1967. Ecological aspects of the behaviour of domestic animals. Proc. ecol. Soc. Aust. 2: 133–165.Google Scholar
McBride, G., James, J. W. and Hodgens, N. W. 1964. Social behaviour of domestic animals. IV. Growing pigs. Anim. Prod 6: 129–139.Google Scholar
McBride, G., James, J. W. and Wyeth, G. S. I. 1965. Social behaviour of domestic animals. VII. Variation in weaning weight in pigs. Anim. Prod 7: 67–74.Google Scholar
McPhee, C. P., McBride, G. and James, J. W. 1964. Social behaviour of domestic animals. III. Steers in small yards. Anim. Prod 6: 9–15.Google Scholar
Schein, M. W. and Fohrman, M. H. 1955. Social dominance relationships in a herd of dairy cattle. Br. J. Anim. Behav 3: 45–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schein, M. W., Hyde, C. E. and Fohrman, M. H. 1955. The effect of psychological disturbances on milk production of dairy cattle. Proc. Ass. Southern agric Wkrs, 52 Convention (Lousiville, Ky.) pp. 79–80 (Abstr.) Cited in The Behaviour of Domestic Animals (ed. Hafez, E. S. E.). Balliére, Tindall and Cox, London.Google Scholar
Scott, J. P. 1958. Animal Behaviour. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar
Teague, H. S. 1960. Ohio Agric. Exp. Stn. An. Sc, Mimeograph No. 120.Google Scholar
Tulloh, N. M. T. 1961. Behaviour of cattle in yards. 1. Weighing order and behaviour before entering scales. Anim. Behav 9: 20–24.Google Scholar
Wagnon, K. A.Loy, R. G., Rollins, W. C. and Carroll, F. D. 1966. Social dominance in a herd of Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn cows. Anim. Behav 14: 474–479.Google Scholar