The effect of shearing in a hot environment on some welfare indicators in Awassi lambs

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of shearing on the individual behaviors and rectal temperature profile during the day at hot environment in Awassi lambs. Twenty Awassi male lambs were randomly allocated into shorn (n=10) and unshorn (n=10) groups (28.8 +/- 0.7 and 29.9 +/- 0.7 kg, respectively) and were kept indoor during the experiment. The physiological and behavioral response variables measured were rectal temperature, standing, lying, feeding, ruminating, drinking, locomotor activity, and elimination. The effect of day, time of day, and all interactions on rectal temperature were found significant (P0.05). Within the observation hours, there was a tendency of difference for behavioral frequencies between groups especially early in the day and late at night (P=0.07). But during the day, the difference of behavior type between groups was highly significant at 1300 and 1600 hours (P<0.01 and P