Behavioural and physiological responses of sheep to 16 h transport and a novel environment post-transport

The effect of a novel lairage environment on the ability of sheep to recove r from 16 h of transport was investigated. Sheep were transported from gras s paddocks to either novel outside paddocks or inside pens, and housed grou ps were transported to either familiar or novel inside pens. During transpo rt, sheep from outside paddocks lay down less than those from inside pens. In sheep transported to inside pens, those from outside paddocks spent more time lying and spent less time eating; hay and water intakes during the fi rst 12 h post-transport were lower than those previously kept inside. There was no obvious effect of a novel environment post-transport on blood bioch emistry, suggesting that the lower post-transport feed and water intakes in a novel environment did not have a significant effect on the ability of th e sheep to recover from the feed and water deprivation associated with tran sport. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.