The wool-biting behaviour of sheep : a short review

Abstract

In housed sheep, wool-biting is a serious behavioural problem. It not only let received animals injuring in their skin, but the performers of this behaviour may die from digesting troubles. Although the occurrence of wool-biting behaviour is a serious impact on animal welfare, but the factors that induce this behaviour are still unclear. Although it is believed that some rearing managements such as raising space and feeding processes, or the deficiency of certain nutrients like sulfur or zinc, are the potential factors to lead sheep into wool-biting behaviour, some points of view are lack of evidences. Since the factors are not so clear, it is difficult to prevent the occurrence of this behaviour or to control the situation when it was already happened. In this paper, we reviewed recent researches and summarized the theories about wool-biting behaviour of sheep to date.