Investigations on periparturient behaviour in free‐ranging mouflon sheep (Ovis orientalis musimon)

Abstract

We studied the behaviour of free-ranging female mou¯on sheep (age 3±5 years) in the period periparturition. The study area is situated in the north-east of Germany (52859'N, 13850'E). For continuous data collection, we used the storage-telemetry-system iry. Activity and foraging behaviour of ®ve females were recorded every second by electronic sensors integrated in a collar round the sheep  s neck (weight 300 g). Whenever the animals visit a special`link-station', installed at a combined saltlick/feeder station, the recorded data are transmitted from the collar to the station and then to a laptop. In addition, we recorded continuously the presence of sheep at the saltlick using a camera-system, including a daylight and an infra-red camera.Activity of female mou¯on ranged from 8 to 10 hours daily during late winter. The animals spent the major part of that time feeding (70±80%). The sheep visited the saltlick every two to three days regularly. However, from late March to early April, every animal stayed away from the`link-station' for about two weeks. This meant spatial isolation from social companions. When returning, these sheep were accompanied by a lamb. Parturition was assumed to take place during 2±3 consecutive days of markedly decreased activity. In the night from the ®rst to the second day of this period, we found a unique activity pattern observed in all sheep. A short activity bout during the second half of the night was interpreted as the exact time of lambing. Spatial and temporal changes in behaviour during parturition are discussed with regard to other wild ungulates as well as domestic animals.

Music Festival Makes Hedgehogs Move: How Individuals Cope Behaviorally in Response to Human-Induced Stressors

“…High DFCs are often found in healthy animals or those that are strongly diurnal or nocturnal [45]. Low DFCs indicate that the animal is weakly synchronized with the environmental rhythm, which can be an indicator of stressors or disease, but also parturition [46]. We interpret the changes in DFC as a sign of stress [8].…”

“…Individual 02_2016 showed an increase in DFC, as discussed in the Section 4.2—“Behavioral Analysis”; this female was estimated to have given birth in the last week of the pre-festival phase. Parturition was shown to have a great impact on the activity pattern of mothers [46]. Therefore, the DFC in the pre-festival phase is expected to be much lower than normal.…”

From steps to home range formation: species‐specific movement upscaling among sympatric ungulates

“…including late gestation, offspring early life) become, on average, lower than in the autumn/winter period. Contrary to this, herbivores which feed in more open areas, and thus, are more gregarious, such as mouflons and chamois, tend to adopt a ‘follower’ strategy as protection, meaning that offspring remain with their mothers and mingle into the social groups (Richard‐Hansen ; Langbein, Scheibe & Eichhorn ). Female spatial behaviour in grazers and mixed feeders is, thereby, less affected by the presence of the young or pregnancy and continues to depend on overall herd movements.…”

“…More specifically, female ungulate browsers, which are solitary and linked to forested areas, rely more on hiding strategies to protect themselves and their offspring (Lent ; Fisher, Blomberg & Owens ), and thus, are expected to limit their movements during risky periods, such as late gestation or early offspring life. As opposed to this, movement patterns of mixed feeders and grazers would be less affected by maternity, since they are associated with habitats that are more open and depend more on following the herd as protective technique (Richard‐Hansen ; Langbein, Scheibe & Eichhorn ). We predicted species would also vary in their movement through different habitat types (i.e.…”

Ewe and lamb contact at lambing is influenced by both shelter type and birth number

“…This time was divided approximately one-third pre-lambing and two-third postlambing. It was presumed that the period of isolation assisted in the establishment of the mother-offspring bond (Langbein et al, 1998). Dwyer and Lawrence (1999) found that in a smaller paddock the distance between ewes decreased.…”