Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2018
Abstract
CAN THE ALERTNESS OF ICELANDIC LEADERSHEEP HELP TO PROTECT SHEEP FLOCKS AGAINST PREDATORS? Emma BRUNBERG 1), Lise GRØVA 2), Emma EYTHÓRSDÓTTIR 3), Ólafur R. DÝRMUNDSSON 4) 1) NORSØK, Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture, Gunnars veg 6, 6630 Tingvoll, Norway; emma.brunberg@djurskyddet.se 2) NIBIO, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Gunnars veg 6, 6630 Tingvoll, Norway; lise.grova@nibio.no 3) LBHÍ, Agricultural University of Iceland, Árleyni 22, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland , emma@lbhi.is 4) Jórusel 12, 109 Reykjavík, Iceland, oldyrm@gmail.com Icelandic leadersheep, a unique sub-breed of the North European short-tailed Iceland breed, are known for their strongly inherited alertness and urge to lead their flock. They have been known through centuries for their outstanding behavioural abilities and intelligence and have not been selected for production traits like other Icelandic sheep. The behavioural traits of these sheep have attracted attention; particularly their alertness and the possibility that this could play a role in protecting sheep flocks against predator attacks. Norwegian scientists have shown breed differences in sheep mortality at summer pastures due to predators. A joint Icelandic/Norwegian project was initiated to test the hypothesis that the presence of Icelandic leadersheep affects flock behaviour when exposed to a predator model. Detecting such differences can clearly be regarded as being of both economic and welfare importance. Since it was not feasible to transport Icelandic leadersheep to Norway it was decided to test their alertness in comparison with that of other sheep in Iceland. An experiment was carried out on Hestur Sheep Experimental Farm in W- Iceland during two days in November 2016 using a total of 66 ewes divided into 11 groups. Six of the groups consisted of one Icelandic leadersheep and five Icelandic sheep (LSG), the remaining five groups consisted of six Icelandic sheep (ISG). The predator model tests took place within a fenced, rectangular pasture of 50m x 25m adjacent to a sheep house. All 11 groups were exposed to the same three treatments: human-, dog- and drone test, after a 10 minutes habituation period. The order of the treatments was randomized and there was a minimum 5 minutes interval between each test. All tests were video recorded. The behaviour observations recorded were; eat, stand walk, run and „other“. Recordings were made every 5 seconds during a two-minute period before and after test period, as well as every 5 seconds in 5*30second periods during each of the human, dog and drone treatment. Statistical analyses were conducted using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS. There was a significant difference in behaviour between the groups with LSG compared to ISG. The LSG spent significantly more time feeding than the ISG groups for all tests, especially in the period after each test was finished, and it hence seems the LSG recover more quickly after a predator test. Including an Icelandic leadersheep into the flock affects behaviour. This should be further elaborated in commercial settings in order to understand the impact and relevance of including this genetic trait in sheep farming. Keywords: sheep, behaviour, predators, Icelandic leadersheep, predator model
Authors
Solveig Marie Stubsjøen Kristin Sørheim Matteo Chincarini Jon Bohlin Emma Brunberg Boris Fuchs Rupert Palme Lise GrøvaAbstract
Tick-borne fever (TBF), caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum and transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus, has considerable consequences for animal welfare and economy in the sheep industry. Non-invasive, objective methods to quantify chronic stress are needed in order to evaluate the welfare impact of disease. The aim of this study was 1) to evaluate hair cortisol (HC) and hair cortisone (HCn) as biomarkers of chronic stress in sheep with TBF and 2) to test whether there was an association between the development of TBF and con- centrations of HC, HCn and faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) and body weight. The experiment took place in an area with a high prevalence of TBF, and thirty lambs were used in the study. Wool samples were collected in Week 0, in Week 3 (before turn out on homeland spring pasture), in Week 6 (before turn out on summer rangeland pasture) and at the end of the summer (Week 15). Faecal samples were collected every week (ie. Week 0–6 and Week 15). Symptoms of TBF developed in 15 lambs, of which all recovered from the disease after treatment with antibiotics. HC levels decreased progressively, and significantly, between Week 0, 3, 6 and 15 (p < 0.001), while HCn only decreased from Week 0 to Week 3 (p < 0.001) and then remained stable between Week 3–15. FCM increased between Week 0 and 5 (p = 0.027), and a significant association was found between increased FCM levels in Week 5 and lambs developing clinical signs of TBF (p = 0.022). We also found an association between lambs developing clinical signs of TBF and elevated HCn levels in Week 6 (p = 0.013). A slightly lower weight gain at later time points (Week 6 and 15) were found in the affected lambs compared to clinically healthy lambs. Our results indicate local production and/or metabolism of glucocorticoids in the hair follicles. This study strengthens our previous finding of a potential merit of hair cortisone as a biomarker of chronic stress in sheep.
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Authors
Lise GrøvaAbstract
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WOOL QUALITY OF NORWEGIAN WHITE SPÆL SHEEP BREED Lise GRØVA 1), Inger Anne Boman 2) 1) NIBIO, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Gunnars veg 6, 6630 Tingvoll, Norway; lise.grova@nibio.no 2) NSG, Norwegian sheep and goat association, Postboks 104, N-1431 Ås The Norwegian White Speal Sheep are characterised by their fluke-shaped and tapered short tail, dual-coated wool and the ability to thrive under harsh environmental conditions. The income in Norwegian sheep farming comes from lamb meat, wool and pelts. Today, wool is of minor economic importance, commonly accounting for less than 10% of the income. However, the interest of wool as a sustainable and local fibre is increasing. Wool quality traits of the Norwegian White spæl breed has been reported to be declining; i.e. an increase in medulated fibres and in kemp. To address this challenge, there has been developed and incorporated 1) wool quality assessment tutorials for farmers and breeders, 2) included heritability estimates of wool fleece weight and quality class in index calculations, and 3) conducted OFDA analysis of wool from breeding rams for three consecutive years. The work was initiated by the research-project KRUS - Enhancing local wool value chains in Norway (NFR 244618/E50) and has been carried out by NIBIO, the Norwegian Sheep Breeders Association (NSG), Animalia and Norilia. Wool quality assessment tutorials for farmers and breeders are available as a.pdf and video for free download from NSG webpage (nsg.no). A ‘wool evaluation kit’ with a magnifier is available for purchase, also from NSG. Implementing index estimates was made possible when including fleece weigh and fleece classification from all sheared lambs at slaughter into the Norwegain National Sheep Recording system. Further, OFDA analysis were conducted on wool from breeding rams collected autumn 2015, 2016 and 2017. The wool samples were analysed using the optical FD analyser (OFDA100; BSC Electronics Pty Ltd, Western Australia, Australia). OFDA analysis is conducted to describe wool quality traits, development of quality traits over time and also development of quality traits at different age of breeding rams. Preliminary results from this study will be presented at the conference. Keywords: sheep, wool quality, Norwegian white spæl, dual felt, double-coat
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Authors
Jiska Joanneke van Dijk Graciela Rusch Hilde Karine Wam Paul Eric Aspholm Even Bergseng Vegard GundersenAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Jiska Joanneke van Dijk Graciela Rusch Hilde Karine Wam Paul Eric Aspholm Even Bergseng Vegard GundersenAbstract
No abstract has been registered