Sheep Facts
Basic Sheep Facts, Most of Importance, A Couple, Not
Any compilation of sheep facts would likely touch upon the topics of wool and meat, for which sheep are best known. In this article, besides looking into those two subjects, we'll take a look into a number of other areas, getting a good picture of what remarkable animals sheep really are.
Sheep have been domesticated for a longer time than any other animals except dogs, for at least 6,000 years by some estimates. There remain two breeds of wild sheep in existence today. One of the two breeds however, is believed to be a domestic breed gone feral, descending from the other wild breed. There are approximately 200 domestic breeds in the world today. It may seem a bit surprising that sheep are with us at all, as sheep are a prey animal, having few means of defending themselves.
One reason for their ability to survive has been their extremely keen senses. Sheep have excellent eyesight, hearing, and a highly developed sense of smell. They can detect the presence of potential predators at a good distance, and are relatively swift runners should the need arise.
If you followed sheep tracks, you'd note that sheep tend to wander back and forth, rather than in a straight line. This pattern is part of a defensive strategy allowing sheep, who have a wide field of vision, to be on the watch for possible enemies. Another of their means of defense lies in flocking together. Sheep that fall victims to predators are most often individuals who have become separated from the flock. Their enemies are many, with wild dogs and coyotes taking the highest toll. Shepherds protect their flocks by keeping the animals together, by fencing, and often by use of dogs, trained to protect the flock.
Before touching on the sheep facts relative to economic uses, let's look into a few basics about these animals. The female sheep is called a ewe, pronounced "you". The male is most commonly referred to as a ram, though the term buck is also sometimes used. A sheep less than one year old is a lamb. Less known is the wether, a male sheep that has been neutered. Similar to many other domesticated animals, neutered males are generally much less aggressive than the other males.
The two major commodities supplied by sheep are meat and wool, with lanolin being a third highly useful product. As most sheep slaughtered for their meat are under one year old, typically abound 8 months, the meat is called lamb, as in lamb chops. Meat from older animals is called mutton. An overwhelming percentage of the world's exported lamb and mutton is from Australia and New Zealand.
Wool comes in several grades, with a specific grade primarily a factor of breed, though the interval between shearing is also taken into account. A single sheep will typically provide up to 10 pounds of wool per year, some breeds can provide two to three times that. Longer fibers of heavy, coarse wool makes up the top grade, with finer or shorted fibers given lower grades. Top grade wool is found in finer clothing articles, medium grades are used in the production of sweaters, blankets, or felt. The lowest quality wool is used in the manufacture of carpeting. As was the case with lamb and mutton, Australia and New Zealand are the top exporters of wool.
A couple of not terribly important, but nevertheless interesting sheep facts are these. Wool is highly absorbent, with one of the newer uses being wool pads used to contain and soak up oil spills. The other item of interest, which you may have seen at one
time or another on television, is the sport of “Mutton Busting”. This is a bareback rodeo event, in which youngsters typically 4 years of age and under, attempt to stay aboard a sheep by holding onto the wool, as it races across the arena. The sheep do not buck, but usually manage to lose their riders before going very far.
Sheep therefore play several important roles. As providers of meat, wool, and lanolin, they feed and clothe millions. They can make reasonably good pets, and even have entered the world of entertainment, if you're into mutton busting.