@article {3672,
	title = {The impact of different management systems on behaviour and milk production of dairy ewes in different stages of lactation; a case study},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {78},
	year = {2018},
	month = {07/2018},
	pages = {116-121},
	address = {Lincoln},
	abstract = {Comparisons of New Zealand dairy sheep farm systems are currently lacking. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate
the effects of different management systems on the behaviour and milk production of East Friesian cross-bred sheep at different
stages of lactation. Two study groups were evaluated. In study group 1, a mob of 479 mixed-age, mid-lactation ewes were housed
24 h/day, and a separate mob of 473 mixed-age, mid-lactation ewes were managed in a hybrid system (housed between morning
and afternoon milkings; grazed lucerne overnight). Both received a total mixed ration (TMR) indoors. In study group 2, a mob of
604 mixed-age, late-lactation ewes grazed pasture 24 h/day, and a separate mob of 452 mixed-age late-lactation ewes were in a
hybrid system, grazing pasture overnight. For both study groups, individual milk yield, walking distance, lying time, live weight
(LW), and body condition score (BCS) were recorded. All sheep gained BCS and LW except fully grazed late-lactation ewes. For
study group 1, fully housed ewes in mid-lactation lay down less during the day, but more overnight compared to those in the hybrid
system, likely due to the latter grazing overnight. Lying bout times were similar between groups, while milk yield was 29\% less
in housed ewes compared to the hybrid ewes. For study group 2, grazing ewes in late-lactation lay down more, had longer lying
bouts, and walked further daily than those in the hybrid system, but both late-lactation treatment groups had similar milk yields.
In summary, the hybrid management system seems to improve milk yield in mid-lactation compared to the fully housed system,
whereas there was no difference between the hybrid and fully grazed systems in late-lactation. Lying behaviour and walking
distances (group 2 only) differed among different systems, however, it is unclear what this means in terms of animal welfare, and
warrants further investigation.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Bliss AE and Chylinski C and Luo D and Sch{\"u}tz KE and Lowe K and Peterson SW and Stevens D and MacDonald T and McCoard SA}
}
