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SHEEP-fed-barely-sprouting-fodders, page : 22
There are three types of sheep behavior, normal, abnormal and learned. In the case of sheep their behavior stems from their position in the food chain. Because of their size they are vulnerable to animals that look at them as a tasty meal.
Normal behavior:
When sheep are behaving normally they are alert and content, their appetites are good and their eyes bright. They are social animals and that is why they flock together. When lambs are healthy and happy you will see them loving to play, run, climb and jump and will do so for hours and then fall so sound asleep one might suppose them dead!
Learned behavior:
Sheep learn to adapt to a new environment, or to new conditions within their existing environment. When a shepherd is patient he/she will be able to train them to go into handling facilities, to go into new pastures and so on. They will also learn not to go near an electric fence, and other things to be avoided.
Abnormal behavior:
When a sheep behaves abnormally it is usually related to stress or disease. Sheep have been observed eating wool, fighting, displaying lack of appetite, decreased communication with other members of the flock, lack of sexual performance, and aggressive tendencies.
Stress related behavior most often occurs when sheep are in close confinement such as those found in intensive production systems – this rarely occurs in animals that are raised in an extensive pasture based system. Stress should not be left unchecked because it creates an environment that lowers resistance to disease. Relieving stress will be dealt with later on in the book.
Social structure of a flock:
Most breeds of sheep tend to flock together, however there are differences among breeds and differences among individual animals. Relationship is strongest between members of their own breed. It is not unknown that when two different breeds of sheep are shepherded into the same pasture, each breed will flock to a different part of the pasture and avoid each others part of the field. Relationships in a flock are strongest among family ties. An older ewe, her offspring, the children of their children and so on down the line, and all will behave as one unit.
In a flock of sheep there is a dominance hierarchy. When it comes to feeding in particular, sheep at the higher end of the hierarchy have a "pecking order" in which they make sure they get the largest share, with those lesser in rank are almost starving, therefore observe what is going on.
These dominant sheep are the more aggressive of the group, and their aggressiveness may have come about through age, size, sex or even early experiences. The dominant ewe in a flock will have dominant daughters, this could be the result of genes or else it could be something that is learned.
Normal behavior:
When sheep are behaving normally they are alert and content, their appetites are good and their eyes bright. They are social animals and that is why they flock together. When lambs are healthy and happy you will see them loving to play, run, climb and jump and will do so for hours and then fall so sound asleep one might suppose them dead!
Learned behavior:
Sheep learn to adapt to a new environment, or to new conditions within their existing environment. When a shepherd is patient he/she will be able to train them to go into handling facilities, to go into new pastures and so on. They will also learn not to go near an electric fence, and other things to be avoided.
Abnormal behavior:
When a sheep behaves abnormally it is usually related to stress or disease. Sheep have been observed eating wool, fighting, displaying lack of appetite, decreased communication with other members of the flock, lack of sexual performance, and aggressive tendencies.
Stress related behavior most often occurs when sheep are in close confinement such as those found in intensive production systems – this rarely occurs in animals that are raised in an extensive pasture based system. Stress should not be left unchecked because it creates an environment that lowers resistance to disease. Relieving stress will be dealt with later on in the book.
Social structure of a flock:
Most breeds of sheep tend to flock together, however there are differences among breeds and differences among individual animals. Relationship is strongest between members of their own breed. It is not unknown that when two different breeds of sheep are shepherded into the same pasture, each breed will flock to a different part of the pasture and avoid each others part of the field. Relationships in a flock are strongest among family ties. An older ewe, her offspring, the children of their children and so on down the line, and all will behave as one unit.
In a flock of sheep there is a dominance hierarchy. When it comes to feeding in particular, sheep at the higher end of the hierarchy have a "pecking order" in which they make sure they get the largest share, with those lesser in rank are almost starving, therefore observe what is going on.
These dominant sheep are the more aggressive of the group, and their aggressiveness may have come about through age, size, sex or even early experiences. The dominant ewe in a flock will have dominant daughters, this could be the result of genes or else it could be something that is learned.