Sheep Behaviour and Shed Design

Key behavioural traits that are useful for managing sheep and maintaining the welfare of sheep during the wool harvesting operation are important considerations.

sheep and bikeSheep are herd animals and their behavioural traits have an impact on how they interact with people, sheds and yards.

Sheep are sometimes categorized as "stupid", usually because they do not wish to go in the direction intended. Just like us they have very good memories, a function of sound, sight and smell and in the case of drenching and dipping taste.

This could hardly be seen as stupidity! Indeed it is a protective mechanism as they do not wish to wander into a sheep dip or shearing shed based on a previous “bad” experience.

A basic understanding of sheep behaviour will make the job of managing and moving sheep easier, as well as being important considerations in relation to sheep yard and shearing shed design.

Key behavioural traits

Some of the key behavioural traits that are useful for managing sheep are summarised below:

  • Sheep are herd animals. This is an evolutionary protective mechanism against predators;
  • Sheep exhibit both flocking and following behaviour;
  • Single sheep will almost always seek to get back to the mob;
  • Sheep will naturally "circle", thought to be associated with the need to keep visual contact with other animals in the mob. This behaviour is "exploited" in some curved yards, although research suggests that this behaviour only applies in narrow races (500 mm wide);
  • Sheep have good eye-sight and by moving their neck can look virtually all around their body;
  • Sheep have good hearing. Some suggest that low volume sounds to make sheep move may be more effective than loud noises. Sudden loud sounds scare sheep and this can have an impact on shed design in relation to clanging gates etc;
  • Oncoming sheep should not be able to see the operator;
  • Following sheep should be able to see the sheep ahead even as it is disappearing around a corner;
  • Advancing sheep must not be able to see the sheep behind them or else they will turn and run back;
  • Sheep forced to look down are less alarmed;
  • The front end of a raceway should be open so that sheep don’t see a dead end;
  • The entrance to a drafting race can be VEE shape allowing for only one set of legs at at time
  • Avoid the situation where a sheep is casting its own shadow;
  • Sheep flow better around blind corners;
  • Sheep prefer to move up an incline;
  • Sheep prefer to move from a darkened area to a lighted one;
  • Sheep abhor strong contrasts in light including shadows;
  • Follower sheep should see treated sheep escaping;
  • Sheep want to move away from sheep handling areas even if there are no workers present;
  • Sheep tend to fill faster through a wide race;
  • Sheep do not like "nasties" like dips';
  • If the force pen is wider than or longer than 2m then you will have problems;
  • The entrance to drafting races should be adjustable to accommodate different size sheep. If the entrance to the race is restricted to the size of a single sheep they will “singulate” before entry. If it is wider by half of a single sheep they will jam; and
  • Use plywood extensively throughout yards to reduce noise and any side distractions and focus the sheep on the way they must go. Paint the interior of the raceways black and leave the end of the race open to light.

Find out about maintaining the welfare of sheep during the wool harvesting operation or return to shearing shed guideline index.

 

AWI Global Sites