EFFECTS OF STOCKING DENSITY ON LAMBS BEING TRANSPORTED BY ROAD

Lambs were transported for 24 hours during summer and winter at a rang e of stocking densities. Shorn lambs of mean liveweight 39.5 kg were t ransported at densities of 0.448, 0.513, 0.602 and 0.769 m(2)/100 kg i n July and fully-fleeced lambs of 37.3 kg mean liveweight were transpo rted at densities of 0.613, 0.680, 0.775 and 0.909 m(2)/100 kg in Febr uary. Fewer lambs lay down and rested at high stocking densities and t here was a marked increase in the plasma levels of creatine kinase at the highest stocking density in winter. All other measured effects of stocking density were small when compared with the overall effects of transport. There was a decrease in body temperature during transport, especially in the lambs that were recently shorn, even though they wer e transported during warm summer conditions. At the highest stocking d ensity there was a smaller decrease in body temperature.