The welfare of ewes on stud and meat farms in southern Brazil
F. O. Stamm
A D , L. O. Leite B , M. J. Stamm C and C. F. M. Molento A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Animal Welfare Laboratory (LABEA), Federal University of Parana (UFPR), Agrarian Sciences Sector, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Cabral, 80035-050, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
B Post-graduation Program in Veterinary Sciences, Federal University of Parana (UFPR), Agrarian Sciences Sector, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Cabral, 80035-050, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
C Federal Technological University of Parana (UTFPR), Curitiba Campus, Avenida Sete de Setembro, 3165, Rebouças, 80230-901, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
D Corresponding author. Email: fabi.stamm@yahoo.com.br
Animal Production Science 61(12) 1235-1245 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN19654
Submitted: 12 November 2019 Accepted: 18 February 2021 Published: 23 March 2021
Abstract
Context: Brazilian sheep production chain includes farms that raise sheep to produce breeding rams and ewes, i.e. stud farms, and farms that raise sheep to breed lambs for meat. However, there are few studies on sheep welfare in Brazil.
Aims: To assess the welfare of sheep in Brazil, comparing ewes on stud and meat farms.
Methods: Seven stud (S) and 10 meat (M) farms were assessed in the metropolitan regions of Curitiba and Castro, State of Parana, using the Animal Welfare Indicators protocol for sheep. Results of both groups were compared using Fisher’s exact test for yes or no questions, Mann–Whitney test for non-normal data and linear mixed models to check each indicator, with significance level at 0.05.
Key results: Main characteristics that reduce sheep welfare were low body condition scores (40.6% on both groups), lesions to the legs (S = 45.9%, M = 56.0%), and pain induced by tail docking, with most ewes having a short tail length (S = 79.1%, M = 85.6%). Comparing both groups, ewes from stud farms presented less light faecal soiling (S = 1.3%, M = 27.0%), less faecal soiling and dags (S = 0%, M = 15.7%), better fleece cleanliness (S = 64.8%, M = 19.8%), fewer lesions to the head and neck (S = 3.2%, M = 12.3%), and higher frequency of panting (S = 28.0%, M = 1.5%).
Conclusions: We were able to identify the main welfare restrictions in both stud and meat farms, and the hypothesis that welfare is higher on stud farms was not confirmed.
Implications: The identification of on-farm welfare concerns as well as the differences between stud and meat farms allows for readily applicable recommendations, tailored to improve welfare within the prevalent sheep-rearing systems in southern Brazil. This experience with the Animal Welfare Indicators protocol for sheep in the Brazilian context may facilitate further studies and implementation of permanent welfare monitoring and action plans.
Keywords: animal husbandry, animal pain, animal welfare, lambs, sheep.
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