Impact of Stress on Health and Final Weight in Fattening Lambs

摘要

In recent years, the lamb production system in North-Eastern Spain has undergone an important change and the number of lamb feedlots has increased significantly. However, the possible impact of stressors associated with this production system on the health and productive performance of the lambs has not been investigated. In this study, the stress level of Rasa Aragonesa fattening lambs, finished at a commercial feedlot or on the farm of birth, was measured throughout the fattening period. Our results show that, although feedlot lambs seemed to have experienced higher stress levels than those fattened on the farm of origin, finishing location did not affect the probability of presenting clinical signs of illness and ovine respiratory complex lesions, or the final weight of the lambs. Notwithstanding, associations were found between the concentration of fecal cortisol metabolites (a chronic stress indicator) at the time of weaning and the health condition and the final weight of the lambs, regardless of the location at which they were fattened. The stress level experienced by lambs prior to finishing seems to be relevant for their health and productive performance, and measures to reduce this stress should be further investigated as a useful tool to improve the sustainability of the ovine production system.