Socialization

Early Socialization/Development

• Ovine gestation is between 142 to 152 days

• Lambs are usually born in the spring

• Neonatal: birth weight is 5 to 12 lbs

  • Stand within 30 min of being born

  • Sucking by 2 hours after birth

  • First milk VERY important – Colostrum!

  • Lamb immunity is dependent on receiving enough colostrum in first 12–24 hours

  • Sleep A LOT!!!

Young behavior

• Neonatal Period – sleep, play, and eat!!!

• Young Ewe – bred as early as 9 months to 18 months of age

Maternal Behavior

• Ewes cycle in the fall and can come in and out of heat every 17 days until they are bred or return to anestrus

• Bred in the fall then lamb in spring (142 to 152 days gestation – pregnancy length – 5 months)

• Ewes often will make a low rumbling sound as they lick their newborn lambs

Fostering

• Not as apt to eat placentas like cattle (could choke)

• Relatively easy to foster orphan lambs on ewes that have recently given birth

• Fosters: the key for the ewe is the smell of the back end of the lamb; after a few days, the ewe will detect her own milk in the lamb's feces

• Lambs suck much more frequently than calves – 60–70 times/day during the first week

Rams/Breeding

• Rams are mature enough to breed at 7–8 months of age

• Certain breeds may need a bit longer

• Utilize the breeding harnesses to know which ram bred which ewe if you have multiple rams in the pen or flock

Social Interactions — Visual Communication

• Sheep mostly communicate with visual signs

  • Elevate tails – in heat, fighting, greeting, suckling

  • Head movement – indicates aggressive or submissive behaviors (will lower their head to bunt)

• Sheep are considered a gregarious animal – they live in flocks and their behaviors are strongly dependent on other members in their surroundings

Social Interactions

• Do not like to be separated from the rest of the flock – isolated animals often become very anxious and will try to rejoin the rest

• Vocal Communication… (sheep callings)

Social Interactions — Play Activities

• More common in young animals than older ones

• Prancing, kicking, pawing, head shaking, head butting, or galloping with tails up are common play activity

• Bursts of play often occur after sheep are released from confinement, when provided with fresh bedding, or something new in environment

• Sometimes associated with weather changes

Housing

• Housed depending on age, size, repro status

• Fields, corrals, pens

• Bedding (straw – yellow)

• Shelter

• Jugs (indoor for lambing)

sleep habits

Sheep spend about fifteen percent of their time sleeping, but may lie down and rest at other times. Upon rising, they often defecate and stretch.
(16 hours awake, drowsy for 4 hours, and sleep for 4 hours)