Stress Factors and Their Effects on Productivity in Sheep

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Stress factors (heat, cold, transport, treatment, nutritional, shearing, and weaning) are stimulants that initiate a stress response and are an inevitable result of today’s livestock practices. Stress factors, together with the changes in biological functions in animals, constitute the cost of stress. The animal’s response to a particular stress factor may vary depending on the animal’s breed, sex, age, and physiological status; the type of stress factor and its duration and density; and interactions between various factors, such as shelter, nutrition, climate, production practices, and the environment. This review aimed to reveal the importance of some stress factors in sheep and their effects on sheep productivity. ABSTRACT: Products obtained from sheep have an economically important place in the world. Their adaptability to different climatic conditions, their ease of care and feeding, their high utilization of poor pasture areas with low yield and quality, the ease of flock management, their high twinning rate, and their short intergenerational period are some of the advantages of sheep production. Sheep production has the ability to adapt better to environmental stress factors, as can be understood from the presence of sheep in different geographical regions at a global level. However, the changes in environmental conditions and production cause some negative results in animals. All these negative results expose animals to various stress factors (heat, cold, transport, treatment, nutritional, shearing, weaning, etc.). All stress factors that directly and indirectly affect sheep production ultimately lead to compromised performance, decreased productivity, increased mortality, and adverse effects on the immune system. In order to cope with the current stress parameters in animals and to achieve optimum production, a holistic approach is needed according to the environmental conditions and available resources. It is important to consider the factors involved in these responses in order to manage these processes correctly and to develop adequate strategies and improve sheep welfare. This review aimed to reveal the importance of some stress factors in sheep and their effects on sheep productivity.