1 definition by Sheep Girl
Sheep is a cloven-hooved, hollow-horned animal. There are over 900 different breeds of sheep througout the world, and only about 70 live in the United States.
Not all sheep breeds have horns. In fact, most of them don't. When sheep don't have horns, they are considered polled. If they have little stubs that are loosely attached to their head, those are called scurs. Also, not all sheep have wool. Some breeds, like the Katahdin and Wiltshire Horn, have hair, like a goat.
Sheep's tails need to be docked when they're born for sanitary reasons. Sheep were not originally designed to have wool; they were bred to have wool, and wet manure + wool + long tail + hot day = tail stuck to the body so the animal cannot poop, and it puts the sheep in medical jeopardy. Hair sheep's tails do not need to be docked.
Sheep are docile, gentle, and friendly. They only "baa" when they're seperated from their flockmates or if they see you coming to feed them.
Female sheep are called ewes. Intact male sheep are called rams. Castrated rams are called wethers. Sheep under 1 year old are called lambs. One year old sheep are called yearlings.
Rams are mean - especially around breeding season (fall for seasonal breeders and all the time for year-round breeders). NEVER trust a ram because if they ram into you, they could break a bone. And never put two unfamiliar rams together in a large pen. They will kill each other.
Despite common belief, sheep are anything but stupid. In fact, universities have studied the intelligence of sheep and they came up with the conclusion that they are as smart as pigs! (Pigs are extremely smart...just go to YouTube and type in "pig tricks".)
Sheep are also confused with goats. There are SO many differences, it's annoying when people can't tell a sheep from a goat. Goats go "maa," sheep go "baa." Goats are browsers, sheep are grazers. Goat's tails are up, sheep's tails are down. Plus, sheep are extremely sensitive to copper in their diet, so you should NEVER feed them any food intended for cattle, goats, horses, llamas, or any other animal, because it WILL kill them.
Sheep also make great pets (I have four of my own).
Not all sheep breeds have horns. In fact, most of them don't. When sheep don't have horns, they are considered polled. If they have little stubs that are loosely attached to their head, those are called scurs. Also, not all sheep have wool. Some breeds, like the Katahdin and Wiltshire Horn, have hair, like a goat.
Sheep's tails need to be docked when they're born for sanitary reasons. Sheep were not originally designed to have wool; they were bred to have wool, and wet manure + wool + long tail + hot day = tail stuck to the body so the animal cannot poop, and it puts the sheep in medical jeopardy. Hair sheep's tails do not need to be docked.
Sheep are docile, gentle, and friendly. They only "baa" when they're seperated from their flockmates or if they see you coming to feed them.
Female sheep are called ewes. Intact male sheep are called rams. Castrated rams are called wethers. Sheep under 1 year old are called lambs. One year old sheep are called yearlings.
Rams are mean - especially around breeding season (fall for seasonal breeders and all the time for year-round breeders). NEVER trust a ram because if they ram into you, they could break a bone. And never put two unfamiliar rams together in a large pen. They will kill each other.
Despite common belief, sheep are anything but stupid. In fact, universities have studied the intelligence of sheep and they came up with the conclusion that they are as smart as pigs! (Pigs are extremely smart...just go to YouTube and type in "pig tricks".)
Sheep are also confused with goats. There are SO many differences, it's annoying when people can't tell a sheep from a goat. Goats go "maa," sheep go "baa." Goats are browsers, sheep are grazers. Goat's tails are up, sheep's tails are down. Plus, sheep are extremely sensitive to copper in their diet, so you should NEVER feed them any food intended for cattle, goats, horses, llamas, or any other animal, because it WILL kill them.
Sheep also make great pets (I have four of my own).
by Sheep Girl July 27, 2009