AN EVALUATION OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF ISOLATION, UP-ENDING AND WOOL REMOVAL TO THE STRESS RESPONSE TO SHEARING

A 2×2×2 factorial experiment examined the effects of three components of shearing (isolation, up-ending and wool removal) on the development of a stress response to handling. Ten Merino wethers were allocated to each treatment. Haematocrit, plasma cortisol and plasma glucose were measured in a series of blood samples collected via jugular catheters, before and after the handling treatments. Wool removal contributed most to the stressfulness of the procedures and led to significant elevations of plasma cortisol and glucose. Significant effects of up-ending, an up-ending-isolation interaction and the contribution made by injury to the development of a stress response, suggest that careful shearing in an upright position would reduce the stressfulness of shearing. © 1990.