The effect of environment on the behaviour of sheeps

This bachelor's thesis aims to compare the existing technologies and systems and to find a suitable stabling environment for sheep breeding in terms of their welfare and behavioural needs, and to put forward suggestions of how stabling might be enhanced. The bachelor's thesis was prepared based on research of specialist literature and articles. At present, a good deal of emphasis is placed on animal welfare, which is governed by animal protection and welfare legislation. The research discussed points, in positive terms, towards group stabling, where sheep are more active and sleep less than those housed in individual stalls. Furthermore, in order to secure sheep welfare, the composition of the flock needs to be considered. The sheep should be of approximately the same age, weight, gender and horn size. The negative aspects include slippery floors putting the safety of the sheep at risk and result in more frequent limb injuries; however, wooden plank flooring with wide gaps also proves to be hazardous. This suggests that the floor should be dry, made of rubber or covered with bedding. The planks should be placed so as to prevent sheep from getting a limb caught in between the planks. At present, enriching the surrounding environment not only of livestock is a suitable solution to increasing the quality of life. Research shows that, in comparison to conventional surroundings, the effects of enriched surroundings on the physiological and behavioural responses of sheep are positive. For example, the results of studies indicate that, in grazing, sheep prefer more varied pastures. These increase their motivation to graze, thereby boosting their intake of feed and positively reflecting in their production. The thesis shows that the breeding systems that do not take into account the behavioural needs of sheep cannot maximalise the efficiency of breeding in terms of performance or labour and financial intensiveness. New technologies ensure the animals' comfort while continuously increasing the performance of sheep. Selecting stabling options directed at animal welfare is an important requisite to which any breeder should pay the utmost attention