Abstract

SILVEIRA, Isabella Dias Barbosa; FISCHER, Vivian  and  MENDONCA, Gilson de. Effects of genotype and age of sheep in reactivity measured at market auction. R. Bras. Zootec. [online]. 2010, vol.39, n.10, pp. 2304-2309. ISSN 1806-9290.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982010001000029.

The objective of this work was to evaluate behavior of sheep and to relate behavioral aspects with breed and age of animals. It was observed 5,971 animals distributed in 181 plots regarded to: breed - Corriedale (n=2,731), Ideal (n=1,574), Merino (n=168), Texel (n=717), Suffolk (n=247) and six crossbreds (n=534); age - yearlings (1.5 year, n=3,021), ewes (above 1.5 year, n =2,457) and lambs (average 6 months of age, n=493). Average behavior of plots was evaluated by attributing scores of movement and resistance to conduction at entrance, permanence and exit from the market auction. Animals from more specialized breeds for meat production (Sulfock and Texel) and young animals were the most agitated and they showed more resistance to human conduction compared to those wool producer breeds and to the older ones. Behavior scores positively correlated among each other, allowing to choose any of them to measure sheep behavior. Sheep on market auction behavior is influenced by age and breed.

Keywords : agitation; behavior; breeds; scores; temperament.