Spatial landscape utilisation by sheep and its relationship to individual productivity and health

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between individual animal performance, health and spatial landscape utilisation. Individual animals are known to vary in the way they use landscapes for grazing, camping and travelling activities. There is also clear evidence of variability in production traits between individual animals. However there are few studies linking these two traits and no known studies in sheep. To explore these issues a study is being undertaken in a 46 Ha paddock at Kirby Research Station, Armidale, NSW, Australia. 20 individuals from a mob of 346, 18-month-old fine wool merino wethers, were selected based on race order and weight and UNEtracker GPS collars attached to log their position at 5 minute intervals. The collars were deployed in mid-February 2012 and will remain on the wethers until mid-August 2012. Once a month the sheep will be brought back to the yards where they will be weighed, have mid-side dye-bands put in their wool and have individual faecal samples collected to perform a faecal worm egg count (WEC) for gastrointestinal nematodes followed by a pooled larval differentiation test.