A note on the circadian rhythm and feeding behaviour of heep fitted with a light weight GPS collar
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
1998 |
Authors: |
Ian A.R Hulbert, John T.B Wyllie, Anthony Waterhouse, John French, David McNulty |
Publication/Journal: |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Keywords: |
circadian rhythm, feeding behaviour, gps, sheep feeding and nutrition |
Abstract:
The circadian rhythm and feeding behaviour (bite rate) of 16 Scottish Blackface ewes of which eight were fitted with a lightweight (863 g) GPS collar were examined. The collar consisted of a leather harness and a 0.5 l aluminium box and represented 2.2% of the average body mass of the study ewes. No differences in circadian rhythm and bite rate were found between ewes fitted with the collars and ewes that were not. The relevance of using collar weight as a proportion of body mass as a guide to gauge its impact on the feeding behaviour of small ruminant (35–75 kg) herbivores is questioned.