The effects of weaning status and transport duration on some physiological and behavioural responses to transportation in Kivircik lambs

Abstract

Transportation is one of the most stressful procedures that the farm animals encounter and numerous factors can affect an animal's responses to stress caused by transportation. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of weaning status (WS: suckling vs weaned) and transport duration (TD: 45-min vs 120-min) on some physiological responses to transportation, and on some behaviours expressed during the 2-h resting period following transportation in Kivircik lambs. All lambs suckled their mothers until 45 days of age. On day 45, a total of 40 Kivircik male lambs were randomly divided into two groups: half of the lambs continued to stay with their dams (Suckling, n = 20), the remaining half (Weaned, n = 20) was separated from their dams, and housed in a different pen. When mean lamb age reached 75 days, lambs from suckling and weaned groups were divided randomly into two subgroups according to TD: 45-min (T45) and 120-min (T120) transport. At the end of transportation, behavioural activities of the lambs were recorded during the 2-h resting period. WS had no significant influence on investigated biochemical and haematological parameters at any sampling time except plasma glucose concentration measured after resting. Suckling lambs had higher level of plasma glucose than the weaned ones after 2-h resting period (P < 0.001). Suckling lambs displayed more walking and less lying behaviours than those of weaned ones during 2-h resting period. Plasma cortisol concentration of T45 lambs determined immediately after transport was higher than those of T120 lambs. T120 lambs had higher glucose and total protein concentrations and lower N:L ratio than T45 lambs after resting. T45 lambs spent more time for walking than the T120 lambs during the 2-h resting period. It might be concluded that 2-h resting period might be sufficient both 45 min and 120 min transport in Kivircik lambs.