Temperament, age and weather predict social interaction in the sheep flock

摘要: Abstract The aim of the current study was to investigate social relationships between individual sheep, and factors that influence this, through novel application statistical multiple membership classification (MMMC) model. In one 49 ewes (ranging 1 8 years old) were fitted with data loggers, which recorded when pairs sheep within 4 m or less each other, a group, for total 6 days. two proximity collected from 45 over 17 days, as measures ewe temperament, weight weather. age difference significantly influenced daily contact time, same spending an average 20 min 43 s together per day, whereas greatest in spent 16 min 33 s together. Maximum temperature also affected being longer on hotter days (34 min 40 s hottest day vs. 18 min 17 s coolest day), did precipitation (29 min wettest 10 min 32 s no rain). Vocalisation isolation, measure contacts, frequency vocalisations more time (27 min 16 s) than those (19 min 36 s). Sheep behaviour isolation box test (IBT) correlated but movement not correlated. Influences age, rain are all well-established so indicate MMMC modelling is useful way analyse structures flock. While it has been demonstrated personality affect non-human animals, finding vocalisation influences pair one.