Comparative welfare evaluation of sheep production systems

ABSTRACT. The welfare of animals in livestock production is of importance for the animals, the general public and the sustainability of animal agriculture. Ways of assessing welfare for sheep have been developed, but those available are complex, time-consuming and may not be appropriate for the different ways of keeping sheep, different sheep breeds and different climatic conditions. This doctoral thesis examines some welfare problems of sheep farming, including issues related to weather conditions, and devises and tests a simplified welfare evaluation system for sheep that is reliable, easy-to use and is focussed on actual problems. Findings include: Sheep prefer to be outside even in the winter, and even in the cool winters of Estonia, so we should allow sheep to have access to the outdoors, even in winter. In the summer, even in the relatively cool summers of northern Europe, sheep can suffer from heat stress. If sheep are at pasture during warm days they will use shade if it is available, and if they do not have access to shade they are more likely to suffer from the heat. So we should ensure that sheep have access to shade while at pasture. Sheep panting score was used to assess heat stress. This is a simple measure to observe and could be included in sheep welfare assessment protocols. The importance of different welfare indicators for sheep of different interest groups was investigated. In brief, farmers thought that body condition (too thin sheep) was the most important welfare indicator, whereas the general public thought that lameness was the most important. Female respondents thought that welfare issues were more significant than male respondents. A simplified protocol to assess the welfare of sheep was developed, using inputs from welfare scientists and from farmers themselves. This was demonstrated to be practical and easy to use. This could be used by welfare assessors but also by farmers to easily check the welfare of their own sheep themselves.

LÜHIKOKKUVÕTE. Loomade heaolu loomakasvatuses on oluline nii loomadele, laiemale üldsusele kui ka loomakasvatuse jätkusuutlikkusele. Lammaste heaolu hindamise viise on arvukalt välja töötatud, kuid sageli on need keerulised, aeganõudvad ega pruugi sobida erinevate lammaste pidamisviiside, erinevate lambatõugude ja erinevate kliimatingimuste jaoks. Käesolevas doktoritöös vaadeldakse mõningaid lambakasvatuse heaoluprobleeme, sh ilmastikuoludega seotud küsimusi ning töötatakse välja ja testitakse lammaste heaolu hindamise lihtsustatud süsteemi, mis oleks usaldusväärne, hõlpsasti kasutatav ja konkreetsele probleemile keskenduv. Uurimistulemused: Lambad eelistavad viibida õues ka talvel ja ka Eesti jahedatel talvedel. Seega peaksime võimaldama lammastel ka talvel õues viibida. Suvel, isegi Põhja-Euroopa suhteliselt jahedatel suvedel, võivad lambad kannatada kuumastressi all. Kui lambad on soojadel päevadel karjamaal, otsivad nad päikesepaiste eest varju, kui see on saadaval. Kui neil pole varjumisvõimalust, kannatavad lambad suurema tõenäosusega kuumuse käes. Seega peaksime tagama, et lammastel oleks karjamaal juurdepääs varjule. Kuumastressi hindamiseks määrati lammastel hingeldusskoor. Seda on lihtne määrata ja selle võiks lisada lammaste heaolu hindamise protokollidesse. Uuriti erinevate lammaste heaolunäitajate olulisust erinevate huvirühmade suhtumisele heaolu mõjutavatesse teguritesse. Lühidalt öeldes pidasid farmerid kõige olulisemaks heaolunäitajaks lammaste toitumust (lahjunud lambad), laiem avalikkus aga longete esinemist lammastel. Naissoost vastajad võrreldes meesvastajatega pidasid heaoluküsimusi olulisemaks. Töötati välja teadlaste ja farmerite poolt välja pakutud näitajate alusel lihtsustatud lammaste heaolu hindamise protokoll, mida on praktiline ja lihtne kasutada. Seda võiksid kasutada lammaste heaolu hindajad, aga ka loomaomanikud, et ise hõlpsasti oma lammaste heaolu kontrollida.