UNE Project Partnership in bedding, ammonia and stocking densities

Summary

For livestock being exported by sea, the number of animals in a pen, the condition of their bedding, and the amount of ammonia in the air can all have an impact on welfare.

These issues are in many ways interdependent, and a long-term project partnership has been established between the livestock export industry and the University of New England (UNE) to take a holistic approach to research into these topics.

Objectives

The primary objectives of this project are to:

• investigate the behaviour of sheep and cattle when given ample room and when housed in a restricted space
• investigate how animal behaviour and welfare change when factors such as temperature and bedding are altered
• investigate how livestock respond to different levels of ammonia in controlled environments and on board live export ships.

Benefits to industry

Understanding how the behaviour of sheep changes when they have ample room and are placed in a restricted space will help to improve health and welfare, as well as performance, during live export voyages.

Understanding the factors influencing the levels of ammonia production by sheep and cattle, and better ways to manage their bedding, will also improve their health and welfare.