The significance of grazing in intensively reared flocks of Chios breed of sheep

The objective of this study was to assess the significance of grazing in intensively reared flocks of dairy sheep. The research involved 66 flocks of the Chios dairy sheep with a questionnaire designed to evaluate management characteristics, pasture availability, productivity level and incidence of lameness (as a welfare indicator). The variables “pasture area per ewe”, “daily grazing time during winter” and “daily grazing time during summer” were separated into three classes and used as independent variables for the consequent one-way analyses of variances. There was a significant positive correlation between the duration of grazing and pasture area per ewe (P≤0.001) and a negative correlation between grazing area per ewe and incidence of lameness (P≤0.05). In flocks that grazing was a common practice the amount of alfalfa hay consumed was significantly lower (P≤0.05). Moreover, in these flocks ewes were milked twice per day in comparison to three milkings implemented in non-grazing flocks (P≤0.05). When comparisons were made between milk production and economic benefit per ewe among the three classes, there were not any significant differences. Finally, lower incidence of lameness in intensively reared grazing flocks represents a positive finding for the welfare of sheep.