Behavioural Factors Affecting Calves and Sheep Performance

The present study included four experiments, two of them concerned with calves’ behaviour and the other two concerned with ewes’ and lambs’ behaviour. Experiment 1: This experiment investigated the effect of sward complexity and sodium fertiliser applicatThe results obtained revealed that: 1. The application of sodium fertiliser to pasture resulting in an increase in the grazing time of calves.2. The calves preferred grazing the sodium fertilisedpasture and had a faster biting rate and faster walking rate on sodium fertilised pasture compared with the control.3. The male calves had a faster biting rate and faster walking rate compared with the females on the all pasture <treatments.4. Grazing time and rumination time increased in up to three species but were reduced when a fourth (Red Fescue) was included.5. The results showed that the calves are highly selective during grazing. They preferred grazing on Perennial ryegrass, followed by Timothy, Cocks foot but not on Red Fescue. So, on those preferred grasses the calves had a faster biting rate and faster w