Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author.

MASSEY AGR!CU!... TI.JRJI.L COLLEGE LIBRARY PAUKi�STON NORTH, N.Z.

ENERGY l\1ETABOLISM, RANGING BEF..AVIOUR

AND

H��TOLOGICAL STlmiES

WITH

ROMNEY MARSH AND CHEVIOT SHEEP

being a thesis presented for the Degree

of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of New Zealand

Eric Cresswell

Massey Agricultural College University of New Zealand

19.58

ACKNOWIEOOEMENTS

This work was carried out during the tenure of a Senior

Research Fellowship of the Research Committee of the University

of New Zealand. Financial assistance was also supplied byMassey

Agricultural College.

GratefUl recognition is made of the generosity of the Nuffield

Foundation and Cooper McDougal and Robertson Ltd., England.

It is desired to extend particular thanks for all advice,

support, assistance and facilities to the following:-

Professor G.S. Peren, C.B.E., Professor A.L. Rae, Mr1 M.W.

Webster, Dr. C.R. Barnicoat, Miss M.G. Campbell and the Library

staff, Mr. C.H. Fairless and Mr. T. Crotty, all of Massey Agricultural

College.

Grateful acknowledgement is made of the generosity of the

Medical Superintendent, Dr. J.H. North; the Pathologist, Dr. T.H.

Pullar; the Principal Bacteriologist, Mr. H.E. Hutchings and the

Instrument Maker, Mr. G.D. Kemp of the Palmerston North Public

H ospital.

The counsel of Professor R.W. Dougherty of the University of

Cornell, U.S.A. and Dr. A.T. Phillipson of the Rowett Research

Institute, Scotland was a source of great enco�agement.

The typing labours of Mrs. A.'w. Warren, Massey Agricultural

C ollege, and Miss s • .Ai+en and Mrs. G. Montrose of Utah State University

are no less appreciated,

CONTENTS

List of lllustrations

List o£ Table

Division "A" Background to project

"B" Energy utaboli studies

Addend\111

"C" RaJti1nc behaviour studies

•n• B:aematological studies ',:•

•E" Diacussion and conclusions ot the overall project {DiV'isions "A", "B", "C", "D")

"P'" Bibliography

Appendix A

Appendix B

(In sections corresponding to project divisions "A", "B", "C", "D", "E")

Pages

1 • iv

V- vi1.

1 - 26

27 - 101

102 - 130

131- 168

169 - 191

192- 204

20.5 - 214

21.5 - 226

227 - 2J6

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Figure I. The shoulder pro£iles of 10 South Country 7 {Bord r) Cheviot and 10 North Country Cheviot ewes at Sourhope hill research station,

·

Scotland (Wan.'lop 195/b).

Figure II. Total 24-hour basal heat production referred 31 to body weight - sheep. The solid dots represent a u. s. A. cross between t.he Sout.hdown and Rambouillet and the hollow circl.es Au tralian Merinos (Benedict 1938b).

Figure III. Showing (1) weather data, (2) average 161 distances traveled in miles per week for Cheviot and Romney Marsh ewes • (3) periods and locations, (4) dates or recording periods.

Plate 1. Typical Border Cheviot ewe.

2• Typical Romney Marsh ewe.

3• Cheviot Hills 20/6/);.6.

4• Romney Marsh 31/7/54.

.5• Cheviot Rllls 16/10/4.5.

6. Romney Marsh 19/4/55·

1. • Field • pattern tracheotomy tube (a), w1 th introducer (b) and rubber balloon (c).

8. x ... ray plat showing inflated balloon occluding the upper tr che of a sheep.

9• Sheep befor th insertion of a tracheal balloon,

4

4

15

16

17

18

39

41

(a). 42

10. Sheep after the insertion !llld i.ntlation of a trachea1 balloon. ot .. pUot balloon (a) connection tube (b). 42

1

Page

Plate 11. Traebeal oannula with corrugated rubber cuff (a). 44

12. A ap1ra:uter recording in progren usina the 46 mocSU'ttcl 'Field' pattern traoheal cermUla. (a) Exte:rnal •eal.ing pa4a, (b) SpirCMter, (e) Two Wa7 'I' lve COI"l"elponding te the ant ul t s noatrtla.

13. Modified 'Jleld' pattern traoheot� tube with tracheal support• (a) and (b).

14. Modified •Field• pattern tracheotOJO" tube with 49 rubber sheath (a} nd introducer cones (b) and (c).

lS. Connection tube for linking a beep to CDf'gen ttPlrGIII.eter.

16. •r• cannula open-showing (a) Grocwe4 edge, (b) C.pUlary tube, (o) Roll-on rubbet' cuff, (d) ubber extension tube, (c) Pilot balloon, (t) Cutting edge to fit groove (a), and Cbamte!"ed tube (c).

S2

17. •t• cannula closed. 54

lB. A aptr-eet.er rec4rd1ng 1n progr ss using the •r• 56 cannula. Not the lack ot external sealing pads on the sheep' n ck.

19. lnterior of •be p shed. 62

20. Typical �gen spirometer graph. Note the 66 downw&J'd bUps •x• produced during eructation. Tbeae blips are d e to eea•t1on of breathing abd not to tbe entry of eructated. gas into the apb'C��eter.

21. Met•boU . charts 1llu8trating:- 1. The lack of 67 etteet of pr-olonged tabollsm recording on tbe reapiratar,r �tt m and rate ot �gen oonaumption-2. The repee.tlb1Uty or recordingat ohart B •• ilad• 8 Jdnutee after cbart A; ). Enetation blip •x• .

22. The effect of stan tlon on the reap1rat017 pattern 75 �f a Cbertot ....

u.

Plate 23. The energy metaboli experiment sheep 1/5/57 (prior to slaughter on 8/5/5?).

Page

77

24. The respiratory pattern of a sheep before and 106 a.t"ter shearing

25. The respiratory pattern of a shorn sheep before 108 and arter wetting•

26. The respiratory pattern of an unahorn sheep before 109 and after wetting.

21. Oqgen spirometer graphs made with an eight minute 110 g p between recordings using the same sh ep.

28. A tracheotomised calf. 127

29. The respirator;y patt rn of a ruminating sheep. 128 The points of regurgitation are marked by the larg upward blips "X".

30. Showing details of the design and construction 14 3 of the Rang eter.

31. Showing details of the design and construction 144 of the Rangemeter.

32• Showing detail of th design and con truction 145 of the Rang eter.

J3. Showing details of the design and construction 1..46 of th Rang eter•

)4. A vi w of tb holding paddock, Tua Paka, tak n 1.50 from the central ridge.

35• Range ter flock sh ep ustered for mileage 152 recording to b not d•

)6• h-ont and rear views ot sh ep in harness•

emet r

37. Ranney Marsh nUl" sing lamb while 1n hamess.

111

15)

151�

Page

Plate )8. Rang eter flock ewes on their way out to the 155 hill after mustering.

39. Rangemeter flock ewes on the bill. 156

40. Reading the Rangemeters. 157

41. Measuring the height at withers.

42. Blood dye injection. Note the sh ven neck.

iT

157

182

LIST OF TABLES

Table l. G. B. Meteorological Office weather data (average figures) for the recording stations nearest to Romn y Marsh and the Cheviot Hills •

Page

19

2. Chronological events--energy metabolism sheep-- ?0 19/9/56 to 8/8/5�.

). Showing for the energy metabolism xperiment ewes: 85 a. M an llveweights in kilograms (exp riment Blocks I • VI). b. Square metres computed surface areas (experiment Block I .. IV). c. Final liveweights in kilograms. d. Square metres measured surface area.

4. Showing (1) Th breed means and St. D1s per 86 experiment for o�gen consumption in 11 tree per five minutes. (2) The F. values derived f'rom between breed analyses of variance (Appendix A, tables 8, 9, 10, ll) carried out on the oJcygen conswnption data related to the following bases; {a) Animal, (b) Kg. body weight, (c) Sq. metres surface ar as(computed), (d) Kg. body weight to the power o.n. (3) Significance of dif'f renoe between breeds. ( 4) Mean body weights for periods 1n ld:klgrams • •

5. Showing (1) The lamb production data of ewes 1-10 88 in the energy taboll experiments. (2) The �sis of variance between breeds for 1 b rate of gain.

6. The standard d viations of the br ed mean for o2 90 consumption Within blocks xpr�ssed as percentages of the m ans (to n arest �).

?. Showin ·•figur s in the lit rature and those 98 calcul ted tros the data in 'his project tor the cal.Qries/24 hour heat production of sheep•

8. Carcass and ol"' an data. nergy etabollsm exper1- 99 nt • ea.

9. Ha tological data of nergy etabolism xperiment lOO ewes ?/S/S7.

T

Pag

Table 10. Showing the o:x;ygen consumption records (litres 10? o2/ S minutes) of' eleven she p; (l) Pr and post snear1n , (2) Pre and post wetting af'ter shearing, (3) Routine recordings with an eight minute time interval, ( 4) One f'inal routine recording.

ll. The mc;ygen con umption records in litres consumed/ 114 five lllinutes of three sheep each fed l lb. oats after twelve l urs tarvation and a ain eight hours later.

12. The f'f'eet of' thyroXin tr tment on the oxygen ll? consumption, respiration rate d liveweight of one Rclnney Marsh ewe.

13. The results of analyses of' gas samples drawn 120 after the sh ep had exhausted half the resevoir capacity of a closed circuit oxygen spirometer.

14. The daily distances walked by different heep 134 breeds singly and in variou combinations (Louw n. AY:.· 194a>.

1.5. The total d1 tance {in yarcl ) tr veled by ach 135 sheep during tw nty four hour period {England 19.54).

16. Peroenta e t e p t r sting 1n the hours 7:00 136 a.m. - 7:00 P• .• by lowland and hill beep, April - Sept ber (Hunwr 19.54).

1?. The av rag claiq distance walked by tour sh ep 136 br (Van R nsburg 1956).

18. et r beep weights 24/8/57/ 158

19. M11 a r cord , Rangem t r sh p, 28/7/56 - 160 2A-/8/57.

20. (1) Avera � gr t r w ekl.y mileage travel 16) by Cheviot over ey she p, within periods. ( 2) Signiticanc of ditf'er ne in e kly 1 g bet n bre ds within periods u.si k (J) SignU'icanc of ditt renc b tw en we within periods within breeds.

vi

Page

Table 21. Le�els of significance of difference in weekly 165 mil ages between consecutive periods within breeds using sh ep means.

22. Comparison of foreleg measurements, H�ematology 168 and Rangemeter sheep.

2). Comparison of height at withers measurements 168 ( unshom sheep) von Borstel (1951) and HaematolC?gy flock this project.

24. The distribution of hi h potassium �alues in the 17J red blood oells of British breeds of sheep (Evans and Mounib 1957).

25. Summarising data in the literature on haematological 174 values for heep.

26. S arisin data 1n the lit rature on blood volumes 176 or she p (Hansard � �. - 195J).

27. The general production data of the Ha tology 185 flock.

28. Haematologieal data of the Haematology flock 8nd 186 the results of analyses of �ariance carried out cm the sam data.

29. Blood volum and r levant data-Haematology flock, 189 February/ 57.

JO. The m an concentrations of.Potassium in tb whole 191 blood and red blood cells, Haematology flock J/10/ 56, also data ex Evans (19.54).