RECENT ADVANCES IN ANIMAL NUTRITION

By BARBARA ROBINSON

Part One Introduction to Sheep Welfare 1 1 Understanding the natural behaviour of sheep 3 Highly selective herbivores 4 Followers, fearful and gregarious 9 Conclusions 13 References 14 2 Overview of sheep production systems 19 International perspectives in sheep production: differences in systems and welfare risks 19 Traditional, extensive and intensive sheep production systems 21 Future trends in sheep production 29 Conclusions 33 References 33 3 Consumer and societal expectations for sheep products 37 The nature of public perceptions 37 Public attitudes and consumption of sheep products 38 Community behaviour 41 Impact of public attitudes on the livestock industries 42 Conclusions 47 References 48 Part Two New Advances in Sheep Welfare Assessment 53 4 Sheep cognition and its implications for welfare 55 Cognitive capacities of sheep 56 Stress and cognitive processing 60 Learning and expectations 62 Cognitive biases 63 Implications for welfare 67 References 68 5 New physiological measures of the biological cost of responding to challenges 73 Introduction 73 The classical responses to challenge and the associated indicators of welfare 78 New physiological indicators 80 Interpreting physiological indicators 92 Conclusions 94 References 94 Part Three Current and Future Solutions to Sheep Welfare Challenges 105 6 Genetic solutions 107 Introduction 107 Welfare-related breeding objectives and novel trait concepts in livestock breeding programmes 108 Breeding strategies to improve welfare in sheep 117 Conclusions 124 References 124 7 Reproductive management (including impacts of prenatal stress on offspring development) 131 Introduction 131 Conception 132 Pregnancy management 134 Stress during pregnancy 137 Lambing and lactation 139 Lamb survival 147 Conclusions and future directions 148 References 149 8 Nutritional management 153 Introduction 153 Body condition score 154 Nutritional management pre and during transportation and prior to slaughter 157 Pregnancy management 158 Management during lactation 162 Nutritional management post-weaning 163 Early weaning management 164 Nutrition, wool and shearing 165 Intensive farming systems 167 Mineral trace/elements requirements 167 Dietary toxins 168 Future considerations 169 Conclusions 170 References 170 9 Predation control 177 Introduction 177 The impact of predation on sheep welfare 178 Protecting sheep from predators 179 Lethal approaches 179 Non-lethal control 180 The impact of predator control methods on sheep welfare 186 Conclusions 188 References 188 10 Managing disease risks 197 General introduction 197 Importance of small ruminant welfare within the primary context of global food security 198 Management of disease risks with reference to improved food production 199 Promotion of animal welfare within the context of food production efficiency 200 Clinical evaluation of individual animals 202 Individual animal disease management 203 Planned animal health as a means of ensuring a good state of welfare 204 Sheep flock health and welfare planning 205 Biosecurity with reference to infectious diseases compromising animal welfare 208 Welfare education focused on managing disease risks 209 Conclusions 210 References 210 11 Husbandry procedures 211 Pain 211 Distress 213 Conclusions 224 References 224 12 Transport and pre-slaughter management 227 Introduction 227 Preparation of sheep for transportation 227 Transport of sheep by road, rail and air 228 Transport of sheep by sea 229 Transport practices 229 Post-transport conditions 233 Conclusions 237 References 238 13 Advanced livestock management solutions 245 Introduction 245 Current sheep precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies 247 Future sheep PLF technologies 250 Impact of PLF on sheep welfare 255 Barriers to technology adoption 257 Wider potential benefits of sheep PLF 258 Summary 259 References 260 14 Optimised welfare for sheep in research and teaching 263 Introduction 263 Legislation and codes 264 Sheep biology, health and interventions 267 The facility 273 Training staff and students in Sheep Welfare 101 276 Concluding comments 278 References 280 Part Four Sheep Welfare Beyond 2020 283 15 Future challenges and opportunities in sheep welfare 285 , The changing face of sheep production 285 Advances in technology 285 Societal expectations 286 Advances in animal biology and their implications for animal welfare 288 Assessment and management of welfare 290 Conclusions 291 References 292