Lamb behaviours in the first three hours postnatal in the Kivircik breed: associations with growth performance and influencing factors

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between lamb and ewe behaviours in the first three hours after birth, and lamb growth rate up to postnatal day 60. The effects of lamb sex, birth type, and dam parity on lamb behaviours in the first three hours postnatal were also investigated. Thirty-six Kivircik ewes and their 55 lambs were used in the study. According to the stepwise regression analysis, Model 2, which included ewe and lamb behaviours as well as lamb birth weight as predictors, resulted in higher R2 and lower root mean square error (RMSE) compared with Model 1, where only ewe and lamb behaviours were explanatory variables. Grooming by the dam during the first 30 min and standing duration during the first 180 min were the most important behavioural predictors of lamb growth. In conclusion, the growth rates of Kivircik lambs over the first 60 days postnatally could be predicted with moderate accuracy (with R2 values ranging from 0.492 to 0.705) by considering birth weight alongside lamb behaviours observed during the initial three hours postnatally as explanatory variables.