Sheep

Sheep (pl.: sheep) or domestic sheep (Ovis aries) are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically
kept as livestock. Although the term sheep can apply to other species in the genus Ovis, in everyday
usage it almost always refers to domesticated sheep. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the
order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Numbering a little over one billion, domestic sheep are
also the most numerous species of sheep. An adult female is referred to as a ewe (/juː/ yoo), an
intact male as a ram, occasionally a tup, a castrated male as a wether, and a young sheep as a lamb.
 Domestic sheep
Temporal range:
Early Holocene (Pleistocene-Holocene boundary)
to present (10,000 years ago)

Conservation status

Domesticated

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Mammalia

Order: Artiodactyla

Family: Bovidae

Subfamily: Caprinae

Genus: Ovis

Species: O. aries

Binomial name

Ovis aries
Linnaeus, 1758

Synonyms
Ovis guineensis Linnaeus, 1758
Ovis strepsiceros Linnaeus, 1758

Sheep are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia, with Iran being a
geographic envelope of the domestication center.[1] One of the earliest animals to be domesticated
for agricultural purposes, sheep are raised for fleeces, meat (lamb, hogget, or mutton), and milk. A
sheep's wool is the most widely used animal fiber, and is usually harvested by shearing. In
Commonwealth countries, ovine meat is called lamb when from younger animals and mutton when
from older ones; in the United States, meat from both older and younger animals is usually called
lamb.[2] Sheep continue to be important for wool and meat today, and are also occasionally raised for
pelts, as dairy animals, or as model organisms for science.
Sheep husbandry is practised throughout the majority of the inhabited world, and has been
fundamental to many civilizations. In the modern era, Australia, New Zealand, the southern and
central South American nations, and the British Isles are most closely associated with sheep
production.

There is a large lexicon of unique terms for sheep husbandry which vary considerably by region and
dialect. Use of the word sheep began in Middle English as a derivation of the Old English word scēap.
A group of sheep is called a flock. Many other specific terms for the various life stages of sheep
exist, generally related to lambing, shearing, and age.

As a key animal in the history of farming, sheep have a deeply entrenched place in human culture,
and are represented in much modern language and symbolism. As livestock, sheep are most often
associated with pastoral, Arcadian imagery. Sheep figure in many mythologies—such as the Golden
Fleece—and major religions, especially the Abrahamic traditions. In both ancient and modern
religious ritual, sheep are used as sacrificial animals.

History
The exact line of descent from wild ancestors to domestic sheep is unclear.[3] The most common
hypothesis states that Ovis aries is descended from the Asiatic (O. gmelini) species of mouflon; the
European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) is a direct descendant of this population.[4] Sheep were
among the first animals to be domesticated by humankind (although the domestication of dogs
probably took place 10 to 20 thousand years earlier); the domestication date is estimated to fall
between 11,000 and 9000 BC in Mesopotamia[5][6][7][8] and possibly around 7000 BC in Mehrgarh in
the Indus Valley.[9][10] The rearing of sheep for secondary products, and the resulting breed
development, began in either southwest Asia or western Europe.[11] Initially, sheep were kept solely
for meat, milk and skins. Archaeological evidence from statuary found at sites in Iran suggests that
selection for woolly sheep may have begun around 6000 BC,[4][12] and the earliest woven wool
garments have been dated to two to three thousand years later.[13]

Sheep husbandry spread quickly in Europe. Excavations show that in about 6000 BC, during the
Neolithic period of prehistory, the Castelnovien people, living around Châteauneuf-les-Martigues near
present-day Marseille in the south of France, were among the first in Europe to keep domestic
sheep.[14] Practically from its inception, ancient Greek civilization relied on sheep as primary
livestock, and were even said to name individual animals.[15] Ancient Romans kept sheep on a wide
scale, and were an important agent in the spread of sheep raising. Pliny the Elder, in his Natural
History (Naturalis Historia), speaks at length about sheep and wool.[16] European colonists spread the
practice to the New World from 1493 onwards.[17][18]
Characteristics
Domestic sheep are relatively small ruminants, usually with a crimped hair called wool and often with
horns forming a lateral spiral. They differ from their wild relatives and ancestors in several respects,
having become uniquely neotenic as a result of selective breeding by humans.[19][20] A few primitive
breeds of sheep retain some of the characteristics of their wild cousins, such as short tails.
Depending on breed, domestic sheep may have no horns at all (i.e. polled), or horns in both sexes, or
in males only. Most horned breeds have a single pair, but a few breeds may have several.[17]

Sheep in Turkmenistan

Another trait unique to domestic sheep as compared to wild ovines is their wide variation in color.
Wild sheep are largely variations of brown hues, and variation within species is extremely limited.
Colors of domestic sheep range from pure white to dark chocolate brown, and even spotted or
piebald.[21][22] Sheep keepers also sometimes artificially paint "smit marks" onto their sheep in any
pattern or color for identification.[23] Selection for easily dyeable white fleeces began early in sheep
domestication, and as white wool is a dominant trait it spread quickly. However, colored sheep do
appear in many modern breeds, and may even appear as a recessive trait in white flocks.[21][22] While
white wool is desirable for large commercial markets, there is a niche market for colored fleeces,
mostly for handspinning.[24] The nature of the fleece varies widely among the breeds, from dense and
highly crimped, to long and hairlike. There is variation of wool type and quality even among members
of the same flock, so wool classing is a step in the commercial processing of the fibre.
 Suffolks are a medium wool, black-faced breed of
meat sheep that make up 60% of the sheep
population in the U.S.[25]

Depending on breed, sheep show a range of heights and weights. Their rate of growth and mature
weight is a heritable trait that is often selected for in breeding.[25] Ewes typically weigh between 45
and 100 kilograms (100 and 220 lb), and rams between 45 and 160 kilograms (100 and 350 lb).[26]
When all deciduous teeth have erupted, the sheep has 20 teeth.[27] Mature sheep have 32 teeth. As
with other ruminants, the front teeth in the lower jaw bite against a hard, toothless pad in the upper
jaw. These are used to pick off vegetation, then the rear teeth grind it before it is swallowed. There
are eight lower front teeth in ruminants, but there is some disagreement as to whether these are
eight incisors, or six incisors and two incisor-shaped canines. This means that the dental formula for
sheep is either [Link]
[Link]
or [Link]
[Link]
[28]
There is a large diastema between the incisors and the molars.

In the first few years of life one can calculate the age of sheep from their front teeth, as a pair of milk
teeth is replaced by larger adult teeth each year, the full set of eight adult front teeth being complete
at about four years of age. The front teeth are then gradually lost as sheep age, making it harder for
them to feed and hindering the health and productivity of the animal. For this reason, domestic sheep
on normal pasture begin to slowly decline from four years on, and the life expectancy of a sheep is
10 to 12 years, though some sheep may live as long as 20 years.[17][29][30]

Skull

Sheep have good hearing, and are sensitive to noise when being handled.[31] Sheep have horizontal
slit-shaped pupils, with excellent peripheral vision; with visual fields of about 270° to 320°, sheep can
see behind themselves without turning their heads.[24][32] Many breeds have only short hair on the
face, and some have facial wool (if any) confined to the poll and or the area of the mandibular angle;
h id l f i h l i i l h b d Af b d d h id bl
wool on the face; for some individuals of these breeds, peripheral vision may be greatly reduced by
"wool blindness", unless recently shorn about the face.[33] Sheep have poor depth perception;
shadows and dips in the ground may cause sheep to baulk. In general, sheep have a tendency to
move out of the dark and into well-lit areas,[34] and prefer to move uphill when disturbed. Sheep also
have an excellent sense of smell, and, like all species of their genus, have scent glands just in front of
the eyes, and interdigitally on the feet. The purpose of these glands is uncertain,[35] but those on the
face may be used in breeding behaviors.[25] The foot glands might also be related to reproduction,[25]
but alternative functions, such as secretion of a waste product or a scent marker to help lost sheep
find their flock, have also been proposed.[35]

Comparison with goats

Sheep and goats are closely related: both are in the subfamily Caprinae. However, they are separate
species, so hybrids rarely occur and are always infertile. A hybrid of a ewe and a buck (a male goat)
is called a sheep-goat hybrid, known as geep. Visual differences between sheep and goats include
the beard of goats and divided upper lip of sheep. Sheep tails also hang down, even when short or
docked, while the short tails of goats are held upwards. Also, sheep breeds are often naturally polled
(either in both sexes or just in the female), while naturally polled goats are rare (though many are
polled artificially). Males of the two species differ in that buck goats acquire a unique and strong
odor during the rut, whereas rams do not.[30]

Breeds

Sheep being judged for adherence to their breed

standard
The domestic sheep is a multi-purpose animal, and the more than 200 breeds now in existence were
created to serve these diverse purposes.[17][36] Some sources give a count of a thousand or more
breeds,[37][38] but these numbers cannot be verified, according to some sources.[24][30] However,
several hundred breeds of sheep have been identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
UN (FAO), with the estimated number varying somewhat from time to time: e.g. 863 breeds as of
1993,[39] 1314 breeds as of 1995[40] and 1229 breeds as of 2006.[41] (These numbers exclude extinct
breeds, which are also tallied by the FAO.) For the purpose of such tallies, the FAO definition of a
breed is "either a subspecific group of domestic livestock with definable and identifiable external
characteristics that enable it to be separated by visual appraisal from other similarly defined groups
within the same species or a group for which geographical and/or cultural separation from
phenotypically similar groups has led to acceptance of its separate identity."[41] Almost all sheep are
classified as being best suited to furnishing a certain product: wool, meat, milk, hides, or a
combination in a dual-purpose breed. Other features used when classifying sheep include face color
(generally white or black), tail length, presence or lack of horns, and the topography for which the
breed has been developed. This last point is especially stressed in the UK, where breeds are
described as either upland (hill or mountain) or lowland breeds.[34] A sheep may also be of a fat-
tailed type, which is a dual-purpose sheep common in Africa and Asia with larger deposits of fat
within and around its tail.

The Barbados Blackbelly is a hair

sheep breed of Caribbean origin.

Breeds are often categorized by the type of their wool. Fine wool breeds are those that have wool of
great crimp and density, which are preferred for textiles. Most of these were derived from Merino
sheep, and the breed continues to dominate the world sheep industry. Downs breeds have wool
between the extremes, and are typically fast-growing meat and ram breeds with dark faces.[42] Some
major medium wool breeds, such as the Corriedale, are dual-purpose crosses of long and fine-
wooled breeds and were created for high-production commercial flocks. Long wool breeds are the
largest of sheep, with long wool and a slow rate of growth. Long wool sheep are most valued for
crossbreeding to improve the attributes of other sheep types. For example: the American Columbia
breed was developed by crossing Lincoln rams (a long wool breed) with fine-wooled Rambouillet
Coarse or carpet wool sheep are those with a medium to long length wool of characteristic
coarseness. Breeds traditionally used for carpet wool show great variability, but the chief
requirement is a wool that will not break down under heavy use (as would that of the finer breeds).
As the demand for carpet-quality wool declines, some breeders of this type of sheep are attempting
to use a few of these traditional breeds for alternative purposes. Others have always been primarily
meat-class sheep.[43]

A flock of Australian White hair sheep in

Mudgegonga, Victoria, Australia. This is a new
breed of hair sheep suited for the hot and varied
Australian climate.

A minor class of sheep are the dairy breeds. Dual-purpose breeds that may primarily be meat or wool
sheep are often used secondarily as milking animals, but there are a few breeds that are
predominantly used for milking. These sheep produce a higher quantity of milk and have slightly
longer lactation curves.[44] In the quality of their milk, the fat and protein content percentages of dairy
sheep vary from non-dairy breeds, but lactose content does not.[45]

A last group of sheep breeds is that of fur or hair sheep, which do not grow wool at all. Hair sheep
are similar to the early domesticated sheep kept before woolly breeds were developed, and are raised
for meat and pelts. Some modern breeds of hair sheep, such as the Dorper, result from crosses
between wool and hair breeds. For meat and hide producers, hair sheep are cheaper to keep, as they
do not need shearing.[43] Hair sheep are also more resistant to parasites and hot weather.[30]

With the modern rise of corporate agribusiness and the decline of localized family farms, many
breeds of sheep are in danger of extinction. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust of the UK lists 22 native
breeds as having only 3,000 registered animals (each), and The Livestock Conservancy lists 14 as
either "critical" or "threatened".[46][47][48] Preferences for breeds with uniform characteristics and fast
growth have pushed heritage (or heirloom) breeds to the margins of the sheep industry.[43] Those
that remain are maintained through the efforts of conservation organizations, breed registries, and
individual farmers dedicated to their preservation.
Diet

Herbivory

Ruminant system of a sheep

Sheep are herbivorous. Most breeds prefer to graze on grass and other short roughage, avoiding the
taller woody parts of plants that goats readily consume.[49] Both sheep and goats use their lips and
tongues to select parts of the plant that are easier to digest or higher in nutrition.[49] Sheep, however,
graze well in monoculture pastures where most goats fare poorly.[49]

Like all ruminants, sheep have a complex digestive system composed of four chambers, allowing
them to break down cellulose from stems, leaves, and seed hulls into simpler carbohydrates. When
sheep graze, vegetation is chewed into a mass called a bolus, which is then passed into the rumen,
via the reticulum. The rumen is a 19- to 38-liter (5 to 10 gallon) organ in which feed is fermented.[50]
The fermenting organisms include bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.[51] (Other important rumen
organisms include some archaea, which produce methane from carbon dioxide.[52]) The bolus is
periodically regurgitated back to the mouth as cud for additional chewing and salivation.[50] After
fermentation in the rumen, feed passes into the reticulum and the omasum; special feeds such as
grains may bypass the rumen altogether. After the first three chambers, food moves into the
abomasum for final digestion before processing by the intestines. The abomasum is the only one of
the four chambers analogous to the human stomach, and is sometimes called the "true stomach".[53]

Other than forage, the other staple feed for sheep is hay, often during the winter months. The ability
to thrive solely on pasture (even without hay) varies with breed, but all sheep can survive on this
diet.[43] Also included in some sheep's diets are minerals, either in a trace mix or in licks. Feed
provided to sheep must be specially formulated, as most cattle, poultry, pig, and even some goat
feeds contain levels of copper that are lethal to sheep.[24] The same danger applies to mineral
supplements such as salt licks.[54]
Grazing behavior

Rotational grazing allows farmers to avoid overgrazing.

Sheep follow a diurnal pattern of activity, feeding from dawn to dusk, stopping sporadically to rest
and chew their cud. Ideal pasture for sheep is not lawnlike grass, but an array of grasses, legumes
and forbs.[55] Types of land where sheep are raised vary widely, from pastures that are seeded and
improved intentionally to rough, native lands. Common plants toxic to sheep are present in most of
the world, and include (but are not limited to) cherry, some oaks and acorns, tomato, yew, rhubarb,
potato, and rhododendron.[56]

Sheep are largely grazing herbivores, unlike browsing animals such as goats and deer that prefer
taller foliage. With a much narrower face, sheep crop plants very close to the ground and can
overgraze a pasture much faster than cattle.[30] For this reason, many shepherds use managed
intensive rotational grazing, where a flock is rotated through multiple pastures, giving plants time to
recover.[30][34] Paradoxically, sheep can both cause and solve the spread of invasive plant species. By
disturbing the natural state of pasture, sheep and other livestock can pave the way for invasive
plants. However, sheep also prefer to eat invasives such as cheatgrass, leafy spurge, kudzu and
spotted knapweed over native species such as sagebrush, making grazing sheep effective for
conservation grazing.[57] Research conducted in Imperial County, California compared lamb grazing
with herbicides for weed control in seedling alfalfa fields. Three trials demonstrated that grazing
lambs were just as effective as herbicides in controlling winter weeds. Entomologists also compared
grazing lambs to insecticides for insect control in winter alfalfa. In this trial, lambs provided insect
control as effectively as insecticides.[58] Sheep grazing labor has also been used to a limited extent
for controlling hazardous species such as giant hogweed.[59]
Behavior

Flock behavior

Sheep showing flocking behavior during a

sheepdog trial

Shepherd herding a flock in China

Sheep are flock animals and strongly gregarious; much sheep behavior can be understood on the
basis of these tendencies. The dominance hierarchy of sheep and their natural inclination to follow a
leader to new pastures were the pivotal factors in sheep being one of the first domesticated livestock
species.[60] Furthermore, in contrast to the red deer and gazelle (two other ungulates of primary
importance to meat production in prehistoric times), sheep do not defend territories although they do
form home ranges.[61] All sheep have a tendency to congregate close to other members of a flock,
although this behavior varies with breed,[31] and sheep can become stressed when separated from
their flock members.[25] During flocking, sheep have a strong tendency to follow, and a leader may
simply be the first individual to move. Relationships in flocks tend to be closest among related
sheep: in mixed-breed flocks, subgroups of the same breed tend to form, and a ewe and her direct
descendants often move as a unit within large flocks.[24] Sheep can become hefted to one particular
local pasture (heft) so they do not roam freely in unfenced landscapes. Lambs learn the heft from
ewes and if whole flocks are culled it must be retaught to the replacement animals.[25][62]

Flock behaviour in sheep is generally only exhibited in groups of four or more sheep; fewer sheep
[24]
t t t d h l ith f th h B i i th i
defense mechanism of sheep is to flee from danger when their flight zone is entered. Cornered
sheep may charge and butt, or threaten by hoof stamping and adopting an aggressive posture. This
is particularly true for ewes with newborn lambs.[24]

In regions where sheep have no natural predators, none of the native breeds of sheep exhibit a strong
flocking behavior.[30]

Herding

Escaped sheep being led back to pasture with the

enticement of food. This method of moving sheep
works best with smaller flocks.

Farmers exploit flocking behavior to keep sheep together on unfenced pastures such as hill farming,
and to move them more easily. For this purpose shepherds may use herding dogs in this effort, with
a highly bred herding ability. Sheep are food-oriented, and association of humans with regular
feeding often results in sheep soliciting people for food.[63] Those who are moving sheep may exploit
this behavior by leading sheep with buckets of feed.[64][65]

Dominance hierarchy
Sheep establish a dominance hierarchy through fighting, threats and competitiveness. Dominant
animals are inclined to be more aggressive with other sheep, and usually feed first at troughs.[66]
Primarily among rams, horn size is a factor in the flock hierarchy.[67] Rams with different size horns
may be less inclined to fight to establish the dominance order, while rams with similarly sized horns
are more so.[67] Merinos have an almost linear hierarchy whereas there is a less rigid structure in
Border Leicesters when a competitive feeding situation arises.[68]

In sheep, position in a moving flock is highly correlated with social dominance, but there is no
definitive study to show consistent voluntary leadership by an individual sheep.[68]
Intelligence and learning ability
Sheep are frequently thought of as unintelligent animals.[69] Their flocking behavior and quickness to
flee and panic can make shepherding a difficult endeavor for the uninitiated. Despite these
perceptions, a University of Illinois monograph on sheep reported their intelligence to be just below
that of pigs and on par with that of cattle.[24] In a study published in Nature in 2001, Kenneth M.
Kendrick and others reported; "Sheep recognize and are attracted to individual sheep and humans by
their faces, as they possess similar specialized neural systems in the temporal and frontal lobes ...
individual sheep can remember 50 other different sheep faces for over 2 years".[70][71] In addition to
long-term facial recognition of individuals, sheep can also differentiate emotional states through
facial characteristics.[70][71] If worked with patiently, sheep may learn their names, and many sheep
are trained to be led by halter for showing and other purposes.[24] Sheep have also responded well to
clicker training.[24] Sheep have been used as pack animals; Tibetan nomads distribute baggage
equally throughout a flock as it is herded between living sites.[24]

It has been reported that some sheep have apparently shown problem-solving abilities; a flock in
West Yorkshire, England, allegedly found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs,
although documentation of this has relied on anecdotal accounts.[72]

Vocalisations

A sheep bleating
0:09
A sheep bleat

Problems playing this file? See media help.

Sounds made by domestic sheep include bleats, grunts, rumbles and snorts. Bleating ("baaing") is
used mostly for contact communication, especially between dam and lambs, but also at times
between other flock members.[73] The bleats of individual sheep are distinctive, enabling the ewe and
her lambs to recognize each other's vocalizations.[74] Vocal communication between lambs and their
dam declines to a very low level within several weeks after parturition.[73] A variety of bleats may be
heard depending on sheep age and circumstances Apart from contact communication bleating
may signal distress, frustration or impatience; however, sheep are usually silent when in pain.
Isolation commonly prompts bleating by sheep.[75] Pregnant ewes may grunt when in labor.[76]
Rumbling sounds are made by the ram during courting; somewhat similar rumbling sounds may be
made by the ewe,[73] especially when with her neonate lambs. A snort (explosive exhalation through
the nostrils) may signal aggression or a warning,[73][77] and is often elicited from startled sheep.[78]

Senses

A Welsh Mountain sheep

In sheep breeds lacking facial wool, the visual field is wide. In 10 sheep (Cambridge, Lleyn and Welsh
Mountain breeds, which lack facial wool), the visual field ranged from 298° to 325°, averaging 313.1°,
with binocular overlap ranging from 44.5° to 74°, averaging 61.7°.[79] In some breeds, unshorn facial
wool can limit the visual field; in some individuals, this may be enough to cause "wool blindness". In
60 Merinos, visual fields ranged from 219.1° to 303.0°, averaging 269.9°, and the binocular field
ranged from 8.9° to 77.7°, averaging 47.5°; 36% of the measurements were limited by wool,[80]
although photographs of the experiments indicate that only limited facial wool regrowth had
occurred since shearing. In addition to facial wool (in some breeds), visual field limitations can
include ears and (in some breeds) horns,[80] so the visual field can be extended by tilting the head.
Sheep eyes exhibit very low hyperopia and little astigmatism. Such visual characteristics are likely to
produce a well-focused retinal image of objects in both the middle and long distance.[79] Because
sheep eyes have no accommodation, one might expect the image of very near objects to be blurred,
but a rather clear near image could be provided by the tapetum and large retinal image of the sheep's
eye, and adequate close vision may occur at muzzle length.[79] Good depth perception, inferred from
the sheep's sure-footedness, was confirmed in "visual cliff" experiments;[80][81] behavioral responses
indicating depth perception are seen in lambs at one day old.[82] Sheep are thought to have colour
vision, and can distinguish between a variety of colours: black, red, brown, green, yellow, and
white.[83]

Sight is a vital part of sheep communication, and when grazing, they maintain visual contact with
each other.[84] Each sheep lifts its head upwards to check the position of other sheep in the flock.
This constant monitoring is probably what keeps the sheep in a flock as they move along grazing.
Sheep become stressed when isolated; this stress is reduced if they are provided with a mirror,
indicating that the sight of other sheep reduces stress.[85]

Taste is the most important sense in sheep, establishing forage preferences, with sweet and sour
plants being preferred and bitter plants being more commonly rejected. Touch and sight are also
important in relation to specific plant characteristics, such as succulence and growth form.[86] The
ram uses his vomeronasal organ (sometimes called the Jacobson's organ) to sense the pheromones
of ewes and detect when they are in estrus.[87] The ewe uses her vomeronasal organ for early
recognition of her neonate lamb.[88]

Reproduction

4-week-old lambs in the Yorkshire Dales

The second of twins being born

Sheep follow a similar reproductive strategy to other herd animals. A group of ewes is generally
mated by a single ram, who has either been chosen by a breeder or (in feral populations) has
established dominance through physical contest with other rams.[43] Most sheep are seasonal
breeders, although some are able to breed year-round.[43] Ewes generally reach sexual maturity at six
to eight months old, and rams generally at four to six months.[43] However, there are exceptions. For
example, Finnsheep ewe lambs may reach puberty as early as 3 to 4 months, and Merino ewes
sometimes reach puberty at 18 to 20 months.[89] Ewes have estrus cycles about every 17 days,[90]
during which they emit a scent and indicate readiness through physical displays towards rams.
In feral sheep, rams may fight during the rut to determine which individuals may mate with ewes.
Rams, especially unfamiliar ones, will also fight outside the breeding period to establish dominance;
rams can kill one another if allowed to mix freely.[43] During the rut, even usually friendly rams may
become aggressive towards humans due to increases in their hormone levels.[25]

After mating, sheep have a gestation period of about five months,[91] and normal labor takes one to
three hours.[92] Although some breeds regularly throw larger litters of lambs, most produce single or
twin lambs.[25][93] During or soon after labor, ewes and lambs may be confined to small lambing
jugs,[94] small pens designed to aid both careful observation of ewes and to cement the bond
between them and their lambs.[34][43]

A lamb's first steps

Ovine obstetrics can be problematic. By selectively breeding ewes that produce multiple offspring
with higher birth weights for generations, sheep producers have inadvertently caused some domestic
sheep to have difficulty lambing; balancing ease of lambing with high productivity is one of the
dilemmas of sheep breeding.[95] In the case of any such problems, those present at lambing may
assist the ewe by extracting or repositioning lambs.[43] After the birth, ewes ideally break the
amniotic sac (if it is not broken during labor), and begin licking clean the lamb.[43] Most lambs will
begin standing within an hour of birth.[43] In normal situations, lambs nurse after standing, receiving
vital colostrum milk. Lambs that either fail to nurse or are rejected by the ewe require help to survive,
such as bottle-feeding or fostering by another ewe.[96]

Most lambs begin life being born outdoors. After lambs are several weeks old, lamb marking (ear
tagging, docking, mulesing, and castrating) is carried out.[43] Vaccinations are usually carried out at
this point as well. Ear tags with numbers are attached, or ear marks are applied, for ease of later
identification of sheep. Docking and castration are commonly done after 24 hours (to avoid
interference with maternal bonding and consumption of colostrum) and are often done not later than
one week after birth, to minimize pain, stress, recovery time and complications.[97][98] The first course
of vaccinations (commonly anti-clostridial) is commonly given at an age of about 10 to 12 weeks; i.e.
when the concentration of maternal antibodies passively acquired via colostrum is expected to have
fallen low enough to permit development of active immunity.[99][100][101] Ewes are often revaccinated
annually about 3 weeks before lambing, to provide high antibody concentrations in colostrum during
the first several hours after lambing.[102] Ram lambs that will either be slaughtered or separated from
ewes before sexual maturity are not usually castrated.[34] Objections to all these procedures have
been raised by animal rights groups, but farmers defend them by saying they save money, and inflict
only temporary pain.[25][43]

Sheep are the only species of mammal except for humans which exhibit exclusive homosexual
behavior.[103][104][105] About 10% of rams refuse to mate with ewes but readily mate with other
rams,[104] and thirty percent of all rams demonstrate at least some homosexual behavior.[106][107]
Additionally, a small number of females that were accompanied by a male fetus in utero (i.e. as
fraternal twins) are freemartins (female animals that are behaviorally masculine and lack functioning
ovaries).[108][109][110][111]

Health

A veterinarian draws blood to test for

resistance to scrapie.

Sheep may fall victim to poisons, infectious diseases, and physical injuries. As a prey species, a
sheep's system is adapted to hide the obvious signs of illness, to prevent being targeted by
predators.[25] However, some signs of ill health are obvious, with sick sheep eating little, vocalizing
excessively, and being generally listless.[112] Throughout history, much of the money and labor of
sheep husbandry has aimed to prevent sheep ailments. Historically, shepherds often created
remedies by experimentation on the farm. In some developed countries, including the United States,
sheep lack the economic importance for drug companies to perform expensive clinical trials required
to approve more than a relatively limited number of drugs for ovine use.[113] However, extra-label drug
use in sheep production is permitted in many jurisdictions, subject to certain restrictions. In the US,
for example, regulations governing extra-label drug use in animals are found in 21 CFR (Code of
Federal Regulations) Part 530.[114] In the 20th and 21st centuries, a minority of sheep owners have
turned to alternative treatments such as homeopathy, herbalism and even traditional Chinese
[24][25]
effectiveness of alternative veterinary medicine has been met with skepticism in scientific
journals.[24][25][115] The need for traditional anti-parasite drugs and antibiotics is widespread, and is
the main impediment to certified organic farming with sheep.[43]

Many breeders take a variety of preventive measures to ward off problems. The first is to ensure all
sheep are healthy when purchased. Many buyers avoid outlets known to be clearing houses for
animals culled from healthy flocks as either sick or simply inferior.[25] This can also mean
maintaining a closed flock, and quarantining new sheep for a month. Two fundamental preventive
programs are maintaining good nutrition and reducing stress in the sheep. Restraint, isolation, loud
noises, novel situations, pain, heat, extreme cold, fatigue and other stressors can lead to secretion of
cortisol, a stress hormone, in amounts that may indicate welfare problems.[116][117][118][119] Excessive
stress can compromise the immune system.[119] "Shipping fever" (pneumonic mannheimiosis,
formerly called pasteurellosis) is a disease of particular concern, that can occur as a result of stress,
notably during transport and (or) handling.[120][121] Pain, fear and several other stressors can cause
secretion of epinephrine (adrenaline). Considerable epinephrine secretion in the final days before
slaughter can adversely affect meat quality (by causing glycogenolysis, removing the substrate for
normal post-slaughter acidification of meat) and result in meat becoming more susceptible to
colonization by spoilage bacteria.[117] Because of such issues, low-stress handling is essential in
sheep management. Avoiding poisoning is also important; common poisons are pesticide sprays,
inorganic fertilizer, motor oil, as well as radiator coolant containing ethylene glycol.[122]

A sheep infected with orf, a disease transmittable

to humans through skin contact

Common forms of preventive medication for sheep are vaccinations and treatments for parasites.
Both external and internal parasites are the most prevalent malady in sheep, and are either fatal, or
reduce the productivity of flocks.[25] Worms are the most common internal parasites. They are
ingested during grazing, incubate within the sheep, and are expelled through the digestive system
(beginning the cycle again). Oral anti-parasitic medicines, known as drenches, are given to a flock to
treat worms, sometimes after worm eggs in the feces has been counted to assess infestation levels.
Afterwards, sheep may be moved to a new pasture to avoid ingesting the same parasites.[34] External
sheep parasites include: lice (for different parts of the body), sheep keds, nose bots, sheep itch
decreased productivity, but are not fatal. Maggots are those of the bot fly and the blow-fly, commonly
Lucilia sericata or its relative L. cuprina. Fly maggots cause the extremely destructive condition of
flystrike. Flies lay their eggs in wounds or wet, manure-soiled wool; when the maggots hatch they
burrow into a sheep's flesh, eventually causing death if untreated. In addition to other treatments,
crutching (shearing wool from a sheep's rump) is a common preventive method. Some countries
allow mulesing, a practice that involves stripping away the skin on the rump to prevent fly-strike,
normally performed when the sheep is a lamb.[123][124] Nose bots are fly larvae that inhabit a sheep's
sinuses, causing breathing difficulties and discomfort. Common signs are a discharge from the nasal
passage, sneezing, and frantic movement such as head shaking. External parasites may be
controlled through the use of backliners, sprays or immersive sheep dips.[25]

An Uda ram, Nigeria

A wide array of bacterial and viral diseases affect sheep. Diseases of the hoof, such as foot rot and
foot scald may occur, and are treated with footbaths and other remedies. Foot rot is present in over
97% of flocks in the UK.[125] These painful conditions cause lameness and hinder feeding. Ovine
Johne's disease is a wasting disease that affects young sheep. Bluetongue disease is an insect-
borne illness causing fever and inflammation of the mucous membranes. Ovine rinderpest (or peste
des petits ruminants) is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease affecting sheep and goats.
Sheep may also be affected by primary[126] or secondary photosensitization. Tetanus can also afflict
sheep through wounds from shearing, docking, castration, or vaccination. The organism also can be
introduced into the reproductive tract by unsanitary humans who assist ewes during lambing.[127]

A few sheep conditions are transmissible to humans. Orf (also known as scabby mouth, contagious
ecthyma or soremouth) is a skin disease leaving lesions that is transmitted through skin-to-skin
contact. Cutaneous anthrax is also called woolsorter's disease, as the spores can be transmitted in
unwashed wool. More seriously, the organisms that can cause spontaneous enzootic abortion in
sheep are easily transmitted to pregnant women. Also of concern are the prion disease scrapie and
the virus that causes foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), as both can devastate flocks. The latter poses a
slight risk to humans. During the 2001 FMD pandemic in the UK, hundreds of sheep were culled and
some rare British breeds were at risk of extinction due to this.[25]

Of the 600,300 sheep lost to the US economy in 2004, 37.3% were lost to predators, while 26.5% were
lost to some form of disease. Poisoning accounted for 1.7% of non-productive deaths.[128]

Predators

A lamb being attacked by coyotes with a bite to the

throat

Other than parasites and disease, predation is a threat to sheep and the profitability of sheep raising.
Sheep have little ability to defend themselves, compared with other species kept as livestock. Even if
sheep survive an attack, they may die from their injuries or simply from panic.[25] However, the impact
of predation varies dramatically with region. In Africa, Australia, the Americas, and parts of Europe
and Asia predators are a serious problem. In the United States, for instance, over one third of sheep
deaths in 2004 were caused by predation.[128] In contrast, other nations are virtually devoid of sheep
predators, particularly islands known for extensive sheep husbandry.[25] Worldwide, canids—including
the domestic dog—are responsible for most sheep deaths.[129][130][131] Other animals that
occasionally prey on sheep include: felines, bears, birds of prey, ravens and feral hogs.[128][132]

Sheep producers have used a wide variety of measures to combat predation. Pre-modern shepherds
used their own presence, livestock guardian dogs, and protective structures such as barns and
fencing. Fencing (both regular and electric), penning sheep at night and lambing indoors all continue
to be widely used.[43] More modern shepherds used guns, traps, and poisons to kill predators,[133]
causing significant decreases in predator populations. In the wake of the environmental and
conservation movements, the use of these methods now usually falls under the purview of specially
designated government agencies in most developed countries.[134]

The 1970s saw a resurgence in the use of livestock guardian dogs and the development of new
th d f d t t lb h d f th l th l [34] D k d d
llamas have been used since the 1980s in sheep operations, using the same basic principle as
livestock guardian dogs.[25] Interspecific pasturing, usually with larger livestock such as cattle or
horses, may help to deter predators, even if such species do not actively guard sheep.[43] In addition
to animal guardians, contemporary sheep operations may use non-lethal predator deterrents such as
motion-activated lights and noisy alarms.[25]
Economic importance

Global sheep stock

in 2019

Number in millions

1. China 163.5 (13.19%)

2. India 74.3 (5.99%)

3. Australia 65.8 (5.31%)

4. Nigeria 46.9 (3.78%)

5. Iran 41.3 (3.33%)

6. Sudan 40.9 (3.3%)

7. Chad 35.9 (2.9%)

8. Turkey 35.2 (2.84%)

9. United Kingdom 33.6 (2.71%)

10. Mongolia 32.3 (2.61%)

 World total 1,239.8

Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Shorn sheep for sale, Kashgar market, 2011

Sheep are an important part of the global agricultural economy. However, their once vital status has
been largely replaced by other livestock species, especially the pig, chicken, and cow.[34] China,
Australia, India, and Iran have the largest modern flocks, and serve both local and exportation needs
for wool and mutton.[135] Other countries such as New Zealand have smaller flocks but retain a large
international economic impact due to their export of sheep products. Sheep also play a major role in
many local economies, which may be niche markets focused on organic or sustainable agriculture
and local food customers.[24][136] Especially in developing countries, such flocks may be a part of
subsistence agriculture rather than a system of trade. Sheep themselves may be a medium of trade
in barter economies.[24]

Wool supplied by Australian farmers to dealers

(tonnes/quarter) has been in decline since 1990.

Domestic sheep provide a wide array of raw materials. Wool was one of the first textiles, although in
the late 20th century wool prices began to fall dramatically as the result of the popularity and cheap
prices for synthetic fabrics.[24] For many sheep owners, the cost of shearing is greater than the
possible profit from the fleece, making subsisting on wool production alone practically impossible
without farm subsidies.[24] Fleeces are used as material in making alternative products such as wool
insulation.[137] In the 21st century, the sale of meat is the most profitable enterprise in the sheep
industry, even though far less sheep meat is consumed than chicken, pork or beef.[34]

Sheepskin is likewise used for making clothes, footwear, rugs, and other products. Byproducts from
the slaughter of sheep are also of value: sheep tallow can be used in candle and soap making, sheep
bone and cartilage has been used to furnish carved items such as dice and buttons as well as
rendered glue and gelatin.[138] Sheep intestine can be formed into sausage casings, and lamb
intestine has been formed into surgical sutures, as well as strings for musical instruments and tennis
rackets.[17] Sheep droppings, which are high in cellulose, have even been sterilized and mixed with
traditional pulp materials to make paper.[139] Of all sheep byproducts, perhaps the most valuable is
lanolin: the waterproof, fatty substance found naturally in sheep's wool and used as a base for
innumerable cosmetics and other products.[17]

Some farmers who keep sheep also make a profit from live sheep. Providing lambs for youth
programs such as 4-H and competition at agricultural shows is often a dependable avenue for the
sale of sheep.[140] Farmers may also choose to focus on a particular breed of sheep in order to sell
registered purebred animals, as well as provide a ram rental service for breeding.[141] A new option
for deriving profit from live sheep is the rental of flocks for grazing; these "mowing services" are hired
in order to keep unwanted vegetation down in public spaces and to lessen fire hazard.[142]

Despite the falling demand and price for sheep products in many markets, sheep have distinct
economic advantages when compared with other livestock. They do not require expensive
housing,[143] such as that used in the intensive farming of chickens or pigs. They are an efficient use
of land; roughly six sheep can be kept on the amount that would suffice for a single cow or
horse.[25][144] Sheep can also consume plants, such as noxious weeds, that most other animals will
not touch, and produce more young at a faster rate.[145] Also, in contrast to most livestock species,
the cost of raising sheep is not necessarily tied to the price of feed crops such as grain, soybeans
and corn.[146] Combined with the lower cost of quality sheep, all these factors combine to equal a
lower overhead for sheep producers, thus entailing a higher profitability potential for the small
farmer.[146] Sheep are especially beneficial for independent producers, including family farms with
limited resources, as the sheep industry is one of the few types of animal agriculture that has not
been vertically integrated by agribusiness.[147] However, small flocks, from 10 to 50 ewes, often are
not profitable because they tend to be poorly managed. The primary reason is that mechanization is
not feasible, so return per hour of labor is not maximized. Small farm flocks generally are used
simply to control weeds on irrigation ditches or maintained as a hobby.[148]
As food

Shoulder of lamb

Sheep have the second highest greenhouse gas

emissions intensity of any agricultural commodity.

Sheep meat and milk were one of the earliest staple proteins consumed by human civilization after
the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture.[25] Sheep meat prepared for food is known
as either mutton or lamb, and approximately 540 million sheep are slaughtered each year for meat
worldwide.[149] "Mutton" is derived from the Old French moton, which was the word for sheep used by
the Anglo-Norman rulers of much of the British Isles in the Middle Ages. This became the name for
sheep meat in English, while the Old English word sceap was kept for the live animal.[150] Throughout
modern history, "mutton" has been limited to the meat of mature sheep usually at least two years of
age; "lamb" is used for that of immature sheep less than a year.[151][152][153]

In the 21st century, the nations with the highest consumption of sheep meat are the Arab states of
the Persian Gulf New Zealand Australia Greece Uruguay the United Kingdom and Ireland [24] These
countries eat 14–40 lbs (3–18 kg) of sheep meat per capita, per annum.[24][153] Sheep meat is also
popular in France, Africa (especially the Arab world), the Caribbean, the rest of the Middle East, India,
and parts of China.[153] This often reflects a history of sheep production. In these countries in
particular, dishes comprising alternative cuts and offal may be popular or traditional. Sheep testicles
—called animelles or lamb fries—are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. Perhaps the
most unusual dish of sheep meat is the Scottish haggis, composed of various sheep innards cooked
along with oatmeal and chopped onions inside its stomach.[154] In comparison, countries such as the
U.S. consume only a pound or less (under 0.5 kg), with Americans eating 50 pounds (22 kg) of pork
and 65 pounds (29 kg) of beef.[153] In addition, such countries rarely eat mutton, and may favor the
more expensive cuts of lamb: mostly lamb chops and leg of lamb.[24]

Though sheep's milk may be drunk rarely in fresh form,[155] today it is used predominantly in cheese
and yogurt making. Sheep have only two teats, and produce a far smaller volume of milk than
cows.[25] However, as sheep's milk contains far more fat, solids, and minerals than cow's milk, it is
ideal for the cheese-making process.[45] It also resists contamination during cooling better because
of its much higher calcium content.[45] Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the feta of
Bulgaria and Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the pecorino romano (the Italian
word for "sheep" is pecore) and ricotta of Italy. Yogurts, especially some forms of strained yogurt,
may also be made from sheep milk.[156] Many of these products are now often made with cow's milk,
especially when produced outside their country of origin.[24] Sheep milk contains 4.8% lactose, which
may affect those who are intolerant.[24]

As with other domestic animals, the meat of uncastrated males is inferior in quality, especially as
they grow. A "bucky" lamb is a lamb which was not castrated early enough, or which was castrated
improperly (resulting in one testicle being retained). These lambs are worth less at
market.[157][158][159]

In science

A cloned ewe named Dolly was a scientific

landmark.
Sheep are generally too large and reproduce too slowly to make ideal research subjects, and thus are
not a common model organism.[160] They have, however, played an influential role in some fields of
science. In particular, the Roslin Institute of Edinburgh, Scotland used sheep for genetics research
that produced groundbreaking results. In 1995, two ewes named Megan and Morag were the first
mammals cloned from differentiated cells, also referred to as gynomerogony. A year later, a Finnish
Dorset sheep named Dolly, dubbed "the world's most famous sheep" in Scientific American,[161] was
the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell. Following this, Polly and Molly were the
first mammals to be simultaneously cloned and transgenic.

As of 2008, the sheep genome has not been fully sequenced, although a detailed genetic map has
been published,[162] and a draft version of the complete genome produced by assembling sheep DNA
sequences using information given by the genomes of other mammals.[163] In 2012, a transgenic
sheep named "Peng Peng" was cloned by Chinese scientists, who spliced his genes with that of a
roundworm (C. elegans) in order to increase production of fats healthier for human consumption.[164]

In the study of natural selection, the population of Soay sheep that remain on the island of Hirta have
been used to explore the relation of body size and coloration to reproductive success.[165] Soay
sheep come in several colors, and researchers investigated why the larger, darker sheep were in
decline; this occurrence contradicted the rule of thumb that larger members of a population tend to
be more successful reproductively.[166] The feral Soays on Hirta are especially useful subjects
because they are isolated.[167]

Domestic sheep are sometimes used in medical research, particularly for researching cardiovascular
physiology, in areas such as hypertension and heart failure.[168][169] Pregnant sheep are also a useful
model for human pregnancy,[170] and have been used to investigate the effects on fetal development
of malnutrition and hypoxia.[171] In behavioral sciences, sheep have been used in isolated cases for
the study of facial recognition, as their mental process of recognition is qualitatively similar to
humans.[172]

In culture

Folklore and literature

Sheep have had a strong presence in many cultures, especially in areas where they form the most
common type of livestock. In the English language, to call someone a sheep or ovine may allude that
they are timid and easily led.[173] In contradiction to this image, male sheep are often used as
symbols of virility and power; the logos of the Los Angeles Rams football team and the Dodge Ram
pickup truck allude to males of the bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis.
Counting sheep is popularly said to be an aid to sleep, and some ancient systems of counting sheep
persist today. Sheep also enter in colloquial sayings and idiom frequently with such phrases as
"black sheep". To call an individual a black sheep implies that they are an odd or disreputable
member of a group.[174] This usage derives from the recessive trait that causes an occasional black
lamb to be born into an entirely white flock. These black sheep were considered undesirable by
shepherds, as black wool is not as commercially viable as white wool.[174] Citizens who accept
overbearing governments have been referred to by the Portmanteau neologism of sheeple.
Somewhat differently, the adjective "sheepish" is also used to describe embarrassment.[175]

In British heraldry, sheep appear in the form of rams, sheep proper and lambs. These are
distinguished by the ram being depicted with horns and a tail, the sheep with neither and the lamb
with its tail only. A further variant of the lamb, termed the Paschal lamb, is depicted as carrying a
Christian cross and with a halo over its head. Rams' heads, portrayed without a neck and facing the
viewer, are also found in British armories. The fleece, depicted as an entire sheepskin carried by a
ring around its midsection, originally became known through its use in the arms of the Order of the
Golden Fleece and was later adopted by towns and individuals with connections to the wool
industry.[176] In Australian English slang, "on the sheep's back" is a phrase used to allude to wool as
the source of Australia’s national prosperity.[177]

Sheep are key symbols in fables and nursery rhymes like The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, Little Bo Peep,
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, and Mary Had a Little Lamb; novels such as George Orwell's Animal Farm and
Haruki Murakami's A Wild Sheep Chase; songs such as Bach's Sheep may safely graze (Schafe können
sicher weiden) and Pink Floyd's "Sheep", and poems like William Blake's "The Lamb".
 The proverbial black sheep

Head of ram pictured in the former coat of

arms of Sääminki, Finland
 Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1620–1683),
Sheep, black and red chalk (possibly crayon)

Religion
In antiquity, symbolism involving sheep cropped up in religions in the ancient Near East, the Mideast,
and the Mediterranean area: Çatalhöyük, ancient Egyptian religion, the Cana'anite and Phoenician
tradition, Judaism, Greek religion, and others. Religious symbolism and ritual involving sheep began
with some of the first known faiths: Skulls of rams (along with bulls) occupied central placement in
shrines at the Çatalhöyük settlement in 8,000 BCE.[178] In Ancient Egyptian religion, the ram was the
symbol of several gods: Khnum, Heryshaf and Amun (in his incarnation as a god of fertility).[24] Other
deities occasionally shown with ram features include the goddess Ishtar, the Phoenician god Baal-
Hamon, and the Babylonian god Ea-Oannes.[24] In Madagascar, sheep were not eaten as they were
believed to be incarnations of the souls of ancestors.[179]

There are many ancient Greek references to sheep: that of Chrysomallos, the golden-fleeced ram,
continuing to be told through into the modern era. Astrologically, Aries, the ram, is the first sign of the
classical Greek zodiac, and the sheep is the eighth of the twelve animals associated with the 12-year
cycle of the Chinese zodiac, related to the Chinese calendar.[179] It is said in Chinese traditions that
Hou Ji sacrificed sheep. Mongolia, shagai are an ancient form of dice made from the cuboid bones
of sheep that are often used for fortunetelling purposes.

Sheep play an important role in all the Abrahamic faiths; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and King
David were all shepherds. According to the Biblical story of the Binding of Isaac, a ram is sacrificed
as a substitute for Isaac after an angel stays Abraham's hand (in the Islamic tradition Abraham was
about to sacrifice Ishmael). Eid al-Adha is a major annual festival in Islam in which sheep (or other
animals) are sacrificed in remembrance of this act.[180][181] Sheep are occasionally sacrificed to
commemorate important secular events in Islamic cultures.[182] Greeks and Romans sacrificed
sheep regularly in religious practice, and Judaism once sacrificed sheep as a Korban (sacrifice), such
as the Passover lamb.[179] Ovine symbols—such as the ceremonial blowing of a shofar—still find a
presence in modern Judaic traditions.

Collectively, followers of Christianity are often referred to as a flock, with Christ as the Good
Shepherd, and sheep are an element in the Christian iconography of the birth of Jesus. Some
Christian saints are considered patrons of shepherds, and even of sheep themselves. Christ is also
portrayed as the Sacrificial lamb of God (Agnus Dei) and Easter celebrations in Greece and Romania
traditionally feature a meal of Paschal lamb. A church leader is often called the pastor, which is
derived from the Latin word for shepherd. In many western Christian traditions bishops carry a staff,
which also serves as a symbol of the episcopal office, known as a crosier, modeled on the shepherd's
crook.
 Ancient Greek red-figure ram-head rhyton,
c. 340 BC

Jesus is depicted as "The Good Shepherd", and

the Christians as sheep
See also

Dry Sheep Equivalent

Fictional sheep
Sheepfold
U.S. Sheep Experiment Station
Venray sheep companies
Sheep–goat hybrid

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External links

American Sheep Industry ([Link]

[Link]/)
Sheep Industry ([Link]
eb/20080411131558/[Link]
[Link]/cps/rde/dpi/[Link]/27_120_ENA_
[Link]) (Queensland)
Canadian Sheep Federation ([Link]
[Link]/web/20080525101357/[Link]
[Link]/[Link])
National Sheep Association ([Link]
[Link]/[Link]) (UK)
New Zealand Sheepbreeders Association
([Link]
Sheep magazine ([Link]
web/20071228232039/[Link]
[Link]/[Link]) , all articles
available free online
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[Link]/Ovis_aries/Info/Index) in
Ensembl
"Sheep" ([Link]
911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/She
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1911.

Portals: Agropedia
Mammals Animals
Biology
Retrieved from
"[Link]
title=Sheep&oldid=1336359123"

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