Tackling Stress in Sheep through the Addition of Natural Feed Supplements
| dc.contributor.author | Watts, Christina | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-05-27T18:24:49Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-05-27T18:24:49Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2014-05-02 | |
| dc.description | Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Alfred University Honors Program. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Farmers are being challenged to elevate their animals' standard of living due to consumer demands, public health concerns and a developing understanding of the physiological effects of stress. In order to mitigate the negative effects of stress, we need a way to identify and address them. The first objective of this project is to investigate means to lower stress levels in sheep (Ovis aries) using a cost effective/natural product. A treatment group of sheep was supplemented with Matricaria chamomilla, commonly known as chamomile, and then run through a stress test. After initial analysis, chamomile fed sheep showed both lower average (139 bpm vs. 162 bpm) and max heart rates (184 bpm vs. 195 bpm) during a stress test. Chamomile fed sheep also had lower salivary cortisol both prior to and after exposer to stress stimuli. The second objective of this project is to develop a non-invasive approach to monitoring stress in sheep. Fluctuations in the microbiome have previously been linked to changes in stress; therefore, the relative abundance of fecal bacterial species may act as a proxy for animal health and relative stress. If the specific microbial profiles to an animal's stress level are correlated, monitoring changes in the microbiome may provide a new way of gauging stress in sheep. This knowledge can be used to develop better animal husbandry techniques and improve welfare among livestock. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10829/5908 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | en_US |
| dc.rights.uri | https://libraries.alfred.edu/AURA/termsofuse | en_US |
| dc.subject | Honors thesis | en_US |
| dc.subject | Stress | en_US |
| dc.subject | Sheep | en_US |
| dc.subject | Biology | en_US |
| dc.title | Tackling Stress in Sheep through the Addition of Natural Feed Supplements | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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