Domestic sheep
A flock of sheep
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

Domestic sheep are ruminant quadrupeds of the family Bovidae and the genus Ovis. The most numerous species of their genus, they are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Asia or Europe. Sheep were one of the earliest animals to be domesticated for agricultural purposes; primarily for their valuable fleece and meat. They continue to be vital livestock internationally, and are also occasionally raised for their pelts, as dairy animals, and as model organisms by science. A sheep's wool is the most widely used of any animal, and is harvested most commonly by shearing. Ovine meat is called "lamb" when culled from younger animals and "mutton" when from older ones. Sheep husbandry is an ancient and varied form of pastoralism, and has a large lexicon which differs considerably by region. Adult female sheep are referred to as "ewes", intact males as "rams", castrated males as "wethers", and younger sheep as "lambs". A group of sheep is called a "flock", "herd" or "mob". Sheep can mean: Sheep, the animal. ... Lamb may refer to: Lamb, a young sheep Lamb (food), meat from a sheep used as food Lambs quarters, a species of the goosefoot plant Lamb shift, a term used in physics, named after scientist Willis Lamb Lamb. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x962, 143 KB)Flock of sheep. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex... Families Antilocapridae Bovidae Camelidae Cervidae Giraffidae Hippopotamidae Moschidae Suidae Tayassuidae Tragulidae Leptochoeridae † Chaeropotamidae † Dichobunidae † Cebochoeridae † Entelodontidae † Anoplotheriidae † Anthracotheriidae † Cainotheriidae † Agriochoeridae † Merycoidodontidae † Leptomerycidae † Protoceratidae † Xiphodontidae † Amphimerycidae † Helohyidae † Gelocidae † Merycodontidae † Dromomerycidae † Raoellidae † Choeropotamidae † Sanitheriidae † The even-toed ungulates form the mammal order Artiodactyla. ... Subfamilies Bovinae Cephalophinae Hippotraginae Antilopinae Caprinae A bovid is any of almost 140 species of cloven-hoofed mammals belonging to the family Bovidae. ... Genera Capricornis Nemorhaedus Rupicapra Oreamnos Budorcas Ovibos Hemitragus Ammotragus Pseudois Capra Ovis Pantholops A goat antelope is any of the species of mostly medium-sized herbivores that make up the subfamily Caprinae or the single species in subfamily Panthalopinae. ... Species See text. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Carl Linnaeus, Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 13, 1707[1] – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[2] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Year 1758 (MDCCLVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ruminantia. ... The Zebra is an example of a quadruped. ... Subfamilies Bovinae Cephalophinae Hippotraginae Antilopinae Caprinae A bovid is any of almost 140 species of cloven-hoofed mammals belonging to the family Bovidae. ... Species See text. ... Binomial name Ovis musimon, Ovis ammon musimon, Ovis orientalis Pallas, 1762 European Mouflon The Mouflon is a species of wild sheep and as such is one of the Caprinae or goat antelopes. It is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern domestic sheep breeds[1]. It... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... This article is about wool, the fiber. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambswool. ... A dairy farm near Oxford, New York in the United States. ... A model organism is a species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made in the organism model will provide insight into the workings of other organisms. ... For other uses, see Wool (disambiguation). ... Medium fine Merino shearing Lismore, Victoria Sheep shearing, typically just called shearing, is the process by which the woolen fleece of a sheep is removed. ... An unweaned lamb Legs of lamb in a supermarket cabinet The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are culinary names for the meat of a domestic sheep. ... Australian Sheep Sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of domestic sheep, and a subcategory of animal husbandry. ... Pastoralism is a form of farming, such as agriculture and horticulture. ... Castration (also referred as: gelding, neutering, orchiectomy, orchidectomy, and oophorectomy) is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testes or a female loses the functions of the ovaries. ... A herd of Wildebeest A gaggle of Canada geese For other uses, see Herd (disambiguation). ... MOB as an initialism may refer to: Management and Organizational Behavior Mail-order bride Man overboard Marching Owl Band Mobile Regional Airport Montreux-Oberland Bernois, Swiss railway Movable Object Block, used in computer graphics Mob The Mob Money Over Bitches Category: ...

Being a key animal in the history of farming, the sheep has a deeply-entrenched place in human culture. Sheep figure in many mythologies – such as the Golden Fleece – and major religions, especially the Abrahamic traditions. Sheep also find representation in much modern language and symbology. Sheep have played an important role in many economies throughout time, most notably Australia, New Zealand, Patagonian nations, and the United Kingdom in the modern era. For other uses, see Mythology (disambiguation). ... Jason returns with the golden Fleece on an Apulian red-figure calyx krater, ca. ... An Abrahamic religion (also referred to as desert monotheism) is any religion derived from an ancient Semitic tradition attributed to Abraham, a great patriarch described in the Torah, the Bible and the Quran. ... The word “symbology” appears in several English dictionaries. ... For the town, see Patagonia, Arizona. ...

Description

Domestic sheep are ruminating even-toed ungulates with horns forming a lateral spiral and a typically crimped wool. Domestic sheep differ from their wild relatives and ancestors in several respects. Most notably, wild sheep closely-related to domestic ones have short, uncrimped hair and short tails.^[1] Some primitive breeds of domestic sheep have such tails, but a long tail – along with entirely white wool – seems to have been an early result of domestication.^[1] Mature sheep have 32 teeth (dental formula: I:0/4 C:0/0 P:3/3 M:3/3). There are six molars and six premolars, all paired in the upper and lower jaws, together forming broad grinding surfaces at the back of the mouth. However (as in other ruminants), the eight incisors are all in the lower jaw, biting against a hard, toothless pad in the upper jaw; together these are used to pick off the vegetation. There are no canines, but there is a large gap where they would be, between the incisors and the premolars. Until the age of four (when all the adult teeth have erupted), it is possible to distinguish the age of sheep from their front teeth: a pair of incisors erupts each year. Though some sheep may live as long as 20 years, domestic sheep on normal pasture begin to decline slowly from four years on, the loss of teeth making it progressively harder for them to feed and thus hindering the health and productivity of the animal.^[2] The average life expectancy of a sheep is consequently between 10-12 years.^{[1] [3]} Families Suidae Hippopotamidae Tayassuidae Camelidae Tragulidae Moschidae Cervidae Giraffidae Antilocapridae Bovidae The even-toed ungulates form the mammal order Artiodactyla. ... The term lateral can refer to: an anatomical definition of direction. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wool Classing is a profession designed for the sole purpose of grading the spinning capacity or designated purpose for the wool produced. ... Dentition is the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. ...

Sheep have good hearing, and are sensitive to noise when being handled.^[3] Sheep have horizontal slit-shaped pupils, and possess a very wide peripheral field of vision with some ability to distinguish color. With what is generally estimated to be around 270° of wide angle vision, sheep can in fact see behind themselves without turning their heads (though this ability may be impaired slightly by wool present around the eyes).^[4] However, sheep have poor depth perception – shadows and dips in the ground may cause sheep to balk. Sheep have an excellent sense of smell, and – like all species of their genus – have scent glands located on their face and feet. The purpose of these glands is not known for certain, but those on the face are likely to be related to breeding behavior.^[3] The feet glands may also be related to sexual selection, but alternative reasons, such as secretion of a waste product or a scent marker to help lost sheep find their flock, have also been posited.^[3] Depth perception is the visual ability to perceive the world in three dimensions. ...

Sheep and goats are closely related (both are in the subfamily Caprinae), and it can sometimes be difficult to differentiate them by appearance alone. However, the genes of sheep and goats differ so greatly that cross-species hybrids rarely occur, and are always infertile. A hybrid of a ewe and a buck (a male goat) is called a sheep-goat hybrid, and is not to be confused with the genetic chimera called a geep). Visual clues to differentiating sheep and goats include the beard and divided upper lip of goats, which sheep do not have. Sheep tails also hang down, even when short or docked, while the tails of goats are held upwards. Sheep breeds are also often naturally polled (either in both sexes or just in the female) but naturally polled goats are rare (though many are polled artificially). Males of the two species differ especially in that buck goats acquire a unique and very strong odor during the rut, whereas rams do not.^[3] Genera Capricornis Nemorhaedus Rupicapra Oreamnos Budorcas Ovibos Hemitragus Ammotragus Pseudois Capra Ovis Pantholops A goat antelope is any of the species of mostly medium-sized herbivores that make up the subfamily Caprinae or the single species in subfamily Panthalopinae. ... This article is about a biological term. ... Fertility is the ability of people or animals to produce healthy offspring in abundance. ... A sheep–goat hybrid is the hybrid offspring of a sheep and a goat. ... It has been suggested that Chimarism be merged into this article or section. ... A geep is a chimera produced by combining the embryos of a goat and a sheep; the resulting animal has cells of both sheep and goat origin. ... Docking is used as a term for the intentional removal of part of an animals tail or ears. ... Polled cattle are cattle that do not grow horns, and are also referred to as polled. Such breeds include: Angus (black) Belted Galloway Galloway Polled Hereford Red Angus Red Poll Some people consider them safer to work with than horned cattle. ... The name Ruth can refer to: The Book of Ruth, one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. ...

Breeds

This feral Soay ram is similar to the wild ancestors of domestic sheep.

There are many breeds of sheep, but these are generally sub-classable as wool class, hair class and sheep meat variety breeds. Dual-purpose breeds are bred for both wool and meat. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1365, 271 KB) Soay sheep. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1365, 271 KB) Soay sheep. ... A feral horse (an American mustang) in Wyoming A feral animal or plant is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state. ... Soay From Old Norse so-øy meaning Sheep Island Soay is an island just off the south coast of Skye, occasionally considered part of the Small Isles. ... This is a list of domestic sheep breeds. ... For other uses, see Wool (disambiguation). ... An unweaned lamb Legs of lamb in a supermarket cabinet The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are culinary names for the meat of a domestic sheep. ...

Major wool breeds include Merino, Rambouillet, Romney, Shetland, and Lincoln. Drysdale and Herdwick are bred specifically for carpet wool. This article is about the breed of sheep. ... The Rambouillet is also known as the Rambouillet Merino or the French Merino. ... A Romney ewe with its two lambs The Romney, also called the Romney Marsh is an average size breed of British Longwool sheep originating in Romney Marsh, Kent. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Lincoln is a breed of sheep from England that has been significantly altered by selective breeding in the later part of the eighteenth century. ... The Drysdale breed of sheep is a product of Massey Agricultural College, New Zealand, (now Massey University). ... The Herdwick is a variety of sheep typical to the mountainous Lake District, in North West England. ... For other uses, see Carpet (disambiguation). ...

Breeds of meat sheep include Beltex, Suffolk, Portland, Hampshire, Columbia, Texel, and Montadale. Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... The Portland is a sheep breed that takes its name from the Isle of Portland and was once common all over Dorset, but is now one of Britains rarest breeds. ... Hampshire Down sheep, in an 1887 illustration The Hampshire or Hampshire Down breed of sheep originated around the 1800s by a cross of South Downss on the horned, white-faced sheep which had for ages been native of the open, untilled, hilly stretch of land known as the Hampshire Downs... Texel sheep are bred all over the world, from the USA to Britain. ... Montadale is the name of a breed of sheep developed in the 1930s by E. H. Mattingly. ...

Breeders of dual-purpose wool class sheep concentrate on fast growth, multiple births, ease of lambing and hardiness. An easy-care sheep is the Coopworth that has long wool and good lamb meat production qualities. Other dual-use breed are the Corriedale and Shropshire. Sometimes sheep are used for both purposes equally and cross-breeding is practiced to maximise both outputs. For example, Merino ewes providing wool may be crossed with Suffolk rams to produce lambs which are robust and suitable for the meat market. The Coopworth breed of sheep was developed by a team of scientists at Lincoln College (now Lincoln University) in Canterbury, New Zealand, to increase lambing percentages of Corridale, Merino, and Romney ewes when mated with Border Leicester rams. ... Corriedale lambs on Tierra del fuego Corriedale sheep are a dual purpose breed, meaning they are used both in the production wool and meat. ... The Shropshire breed of sheep originated from the hills of Shropshire, England during the 1840s. ... This article is about the breed of sheep. ...

Hair class sheep are the original class of sheep in the world, developed for meat and leather. They are prolific and highly resistant to disease and parasites. Dorpers and Kahtahdins are composite breeds of wool and hair crosses with different degrees of wool/hair mixes within the hair class. True hair sheep such as St. Croix, Barbados Blackbelly, Mouflon, Santa Inez and Royal White shed their protective down fiber to an all hair coat in the Spring/Summer. Hair class sheep are becoming more popular for their no-shear aspects. A separate article treats the several rivers known as the St. ... The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep is a unique breed that was developed in the Caribbean. ... Binomial name Ovis musimon, Ovis ammon musimon, Ovis orientalis Pallas, 1762 European Mouflon The Mouflon is a species of wild sheep and as such is one of the Caprinae or goat antelopes. It is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern domestic sheep breeds[1]. It... Royal White is the newest breed of sheep in America. ...

History

Dongxiang men haggling over sheep in Gansu Province

Evidence for the domestication of sheep dates to 9000 BC in Iraq.^[5] DNA analysis has shown that domestic sheep are descended from two ancestor species, one of which is the mouflon. Although the second ancestor has not been identified, both the urial and argali have been ruled out.^[6] The urial (O. vignei) is found from northeastern Iran to northwestern India. It has a higher number of chromosomes (58) than domestic sheep (54) which makes it an unlikely ancestor of the latter, but it interbreeds with the mouflon. The argali sheep (O. ammon) of inner Asia (Tibet, Himalayas, Altay Mountains, Tien-Shan and Pamir) has 56 chromosomes and the Siberian snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) has 52 chromosomes. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,024 × 768 pixels, file size: 197 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,024 × 768 pixels, file size: 197 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... The Dongxiang people (autonym: Sarta or Santa (撒尔塔); Simplified Chinese: 东乡族 Traditional Chinese︰東鄉族; Pinyin: Dōngxiāngzú) are one of 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Peoples Republic of China. ... This article or section should include material from Gansu, China Gansu (Simplified Chinese: 甘肃; Traditional Chinese: 甘肅; pinyin: Gānsù; Wade-Giles: Kan-su, or modified as Kan-suh) is a province located in the northwest of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Europe and surrounding areas in the 9th millennium BC. Blue areas are covered in ice. ... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is a nucleic acid molecule that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. ... Binomial name Ovis musimon, Ovis ammon musimon, Ovis orientalis Pallas, 1762 European Mouflon The Mouflon is a species of wild sheep and as such is one of the Caprinae or goat antelopes. It is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern domestic sheep breeds[1]. It... Binomial name Ovis vignei Blyth, 1841 The Urial is a medium-sized wild sheep and as such is considered a member of the goat antelope subfamily. ... Binomial name Ovis ammon (Linnaeus, 1758) The mountain sheep (species Ovis ammon) is the globally endangered wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia (Himalaya, Tibet, Altay). ... Binomial name Ovis vignei Blyth, 1841 The Urial is a medium-sized wild sheep and as such is considered a member of the goat antelope subfamily. ... A scheme of a condensed (metaphase) chromosome. ... Binomial name Ovis ammon (Linnaeus, 1758) The mountain sheep (species Ovis ammon) is the globally endangered wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia (Himalaya, Tibet, Altay). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The Tian Shan (Chinese: 天山; Pinyin: Tiān Shān; celestial mountains) mountain range is located in Central Asia, in the border region of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of western China. ... A photograph of Ismail Samani Peak (then known as Peak Communism) taken in 1989. ... Binomial name Ovis nivicola Eschscholtz, 1829 The snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) is a species of sheep, which comes from the northeast of Siberia. ...

Evidence of early domesticated sheep has been found in PPNB Jericho and Zawi Chemi Shanidar. The fleece-bearing sheep are only found since the Bronze Age. Primitive breeds, like the Scottish Soay sheep have to be plucked (a process called rooing), instead of sheared, as the kemps are still longer than the soft fleece, or the fleece must be collected from the field after it falls out. The European mouflon (O. musimon) found on Corsica and Sardinia as well as the Cretan and the extinct Cypriot wild sheep are possibly descended from early domestic sheep that turned feral. Pre-Pottery Neolithic B is a division of the Neolithic developed by Dame Kathleen Kenyon during her archaeological excavations at Jericho in Palestine. ... The Taking of Jericho, by Jean Fouquet Near central Jericho, November 1996 Jericho (Arabic  , Hebrew  , ʼArīḥā; Standard YÉ™riḥo Tiberian YÉ™rîḫô / YÉ™rîḥô; meaning fragrant.[1] Greek Ἱεριχώ) is a town in Palestine, located within the Jericho Governorate, near the Jordan River. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... Soay sheep, Culloden Moor. ... For other uses, see Corsica (disambiguation). ... For the place in the United States, see Sardinia, Ohio. ... A feral horse (an American mustang) in Wyoming A feral animal or plant is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state. ...

Cultural significance

Sheep and shepherds have played a significant role in Judeo-Christian religious texts since time immemorial. Here, sheep are seen in front of Jerusalem's Damascus Gate.

Sheep have had a strong presence within many cultures, especially in areas where they form the most common type of livestock in pastoralism. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 591 pixelsFull resolution (3522 × 2602 pixel, file size: 4. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 591 pixelsFull resolution (3522 × 2602 pixel, file size: 4. ... Jacob wrestling an angel, by Gustave Doré (1832-1883), a shared Judeo-Christian story. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... Damascus Gate The Damascus Gate (also known as Shechem Gate or Nablus Gate; Bab-al-Amud, Gate of Columns) is an important gate in the walls of the old city of Jerusalem. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... Pastoralism is a form of farming, such as agriculture and horticulture. ...

A wide symbology relates to sheep in ancient art, traditions and culture. In Egyptian mythology the ram was the symbol of Heryshaf. Judaism uses many sheep references including the Passover lamb. Christianity uses sheep-related images, such as: Christ as the good shepherd, or as the sacrificed Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), the bishop's Pastoral, the lion lying down with the lamb (a reference to all of creation being at peace, without suffering, predation or otherwise). Easter celebrations in Greece and Romania traditionally feature a meal of Paschal lamb. Sheep also have considerable importance in Arab culture; Eid ul-Adha is a major annual festival in Islam in which a sheep is sacrificed. Egyptian mythology or Egyptian religion is the succession of tentative beliefs held by the people of Egypt for over three thousand years, prior to major exposure to Christianity and Islam. ... Harsaphes In Egyptian mythology, Heryshaf (Egyptian Ḥry-Å¡=f He who is on his lake), transcribed in Greek as Harsaphes was an ancient ram-god whose cult was centered in Herakleopolis Magna (now Ihnasiyyah al-Madinah). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the Jewish holiday. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... This page is about the title, office or what is known in Christian theology as the Divine Person. ... A sacrificial lamb refers to a lamb (or metaphorical parallel) killed or discounted in some way in order to further some other cause. ... A lamb holding a Christian banner is a typical symbol for Agnus Dei. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      This article... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥā) is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Ibrahims (Abrahams) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ...

A ram on the coat of arms of Gotland.

Herding sheep plays an important historico-symbolic part in the Jewish and Christian faiths, since Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and King David all worked as shepherds. Image File history File links Gotland_vapen. ... Image File history File links Gotland_vapen. ...   is a county, province and municipality of Sweden and the second largest island in the Baltic Sea after Zealand. ... For other uses, see Jew (disambiguation). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For other uses, see Faith (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Abraham (name) and Abram (disambiguation). ... Sacrifice of Isaac, a detail from the sarcophagus of the Roman consul Junius Bassus, ca. ... This article is about Jacob in the Hebrew Bible. ... Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt This article is about the Biblical figure. ... This page is about the Biblical king David. ... Shepherd in FăgăraÅŸ Mountains, Romania. ...

The ram is the first sign of the Western zodiac, in which it is known as Aries. The sheep (or goat) also forms one of the animals associated with the 12-year cycle of in the Chinese zodiac, related to the Chinese calendar. Chinese tradition associates each animal with certain personality traits. The term zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the constellations that divide the ecliptic into twelve equal zones of celestial longitude. ... Aries the animal Aries is an astrological sign that originated from the constellation Aries, and is the first sign of the zodiac. ... This article is about the domestic species. ... Chinese astrology (占星術 pinyin: zhan4 xing1 shu4; 星學 pinyin: xing1 xue2; 七政四餘 pinyin: qi1 zheng4 si4 yu2; and 果老星宗 pinyin: guo3 lao3 xing1 zong1) is related to the Chinese calendar, particularly its 12-year cycle of animals (aka Chinese Zodiac), and... The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ...

The raising of sheep for wool and meat became a major industry in colonial Australia and New Zealand and remains significant. As a result, sheep and sheep shearing have become an important part of the folklore and cultural tradition of these two countries. In New Zealand, sheep outnumber the human population 12 to 1.^[7] Medium fine Merino shearing Lismore, Victoria Sheep shearing, typically just called shearing, is the process by which the woolen fleece of a sheep is removed. ...

Sheep are often associated with obedience due to the widespread perception that they lack intelligence and their undoubted herd mentality, hence the pejorative connotation of the adjective 'ovine'. In George Orwell's satirical novel Animal Farm, sheep are used to represent the ignorant and uneducated masses of revolutionary Russia. The sheep are unable to be taught the subtleties of revolutionary ideology and can only be taught repetitive slogans such as "Four legs good, two legs bad" which they bleat in unison at rallies. An individual who is very unlike others in their society may be pejoratively labeled a "black sheep". Intelligence is the mental capacity to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn. ... Herd behaviour is the term used to describe situations in which the individuals of any particular group react coherently. ... Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 [1] [2] – 21 January 1950), better known by the pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist. ... For other uses, see Animal Farm (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with pejoration. ... Black Sheep may refer to many different things: // English language Black sheep is a derogatory colloquial term in the English language meaning an outsider or one who is different in a way which others disapprove of. ...

The rock group Pink Floyd wrote a song using sheep as a symbol for ordinary people, that is, everyone who isn't a pig or dog. People who accept overbearing governments have been pejoratively referred to as "sheeple". Pink Floyd are an English rock band that initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock music, and, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. ... Sheep is a song by the English band Pink Floyd. ... Sheeple is a term of disparagement, a portmanteau created by combining the words sheep and people; a reference to herd mentality. ...

In contemporary events, controversy has raged over a scientific study at the Oregon Health and Science University which, because of the unedited printing of a press-release by PETA in a British newspaper, has been accused of attempting to find a way to breed out the minority trait which causes some rams to prefer homosexual relations. Further investigation revealed it only attempts to study the genetics and circumstances which produce the phenomenon and not "cure" it.^[8] Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is the present-day (2005) name for a university that can trace its roots back to the 1860s. ... Peta can refer to: Peta (prefix), a prefix meaning times 1015 in the International System of Units People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal-rights organization People Eating Tasty Animals, a parody of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Peta, Greece, a town in the prefecture... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ...

Economic importance

Global Sheep and Lamb stocks in 2005
(million head)
People's Republic of China	170.9
Australia	102.7
European Union (15 nation)	99.3
Russia (former Soviet Union)	65.3
India	62.5
Iran	54.0
Sudan	49.0
New Zealand	39.9
United Kingdom	35.3
South Africa	25.3
World Total	1079.0
Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)[1]

Raising sheep was and is important to farmers in many economies, given that sheep can give milk (and its derivative products, such as cheese), wool, sheepskin (used for making clothes, footwear, rugs, and other coverings) and meat. Sheep droppings have even been sterilized and mixed with other traditional pulp materials to make paper.^[9] In the 21st century, sheep retain considerable importance in the economies of several countries. After China, the largest producers of sheep products are in the southern hemisphere: Australia, New Zealand and the Patagonian regions of Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Sheep play an important role in the economies of a number of smaller countries, such as Wales. In some places, like Sardinia, sheep-breeding has become the principal and characteristic activity. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Peoples_Republic_of_China. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_India. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iran. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sudan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Africa. ... FAO emblem With its headquarters in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that works to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and... A glass of cows milk. ... Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ... For other uses, see Wool (disambiguation). ... Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambswool. ... High-heeled shoe Footwear consists of garments worn on the feet. ... An unweaned lamb Legs of lamb in a supermarket cabinet The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are culinary names for the meat of a domestic sheep. ... Pulp can refer to: Soft shapeless substances in general. ... Patagonia, as most commonly defined (in orange). ... This article is about the country. ... For the place in the United States, see Sardinia, Ohio. ...

In the United Kingdom, the importance of the wool trade was so significant that in the upper chamber of parliament (the House of Lords), the Lord Chancellor sits on a bench known as the Woolsack. This is, as its name suggests, a sack of wool and confers the importance of the wool trade to the English economy at the time of its installation many centuries ago. This article is about the British House of Lords. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and prior to the Union the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ... The woolsack in the former Irish House of Lords. ...

The economic importance of sheep in much of the United States has declined as it has become, in some cases, economically unviable to ranch sheep for wool.^[10] Texas has by far the most sheep of any state,^[11] but now has only about one-tenth^[12] of the almost 11 million sheep it had in the 1940s.^[13] For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ...

Sheep headcount in 2004

In the 21st century, in some situations, sheep can provide a return on investment of up to 400%^{[citation needed]} of their cost annually (including reproduction gains). Sheep breeding has played a role in several historic conflicts, such as the Scottish Highland Clearances, the American range wars, and the English "enclosing of the commons". Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 × 625 pixel, file size: 63 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of sheep in 2004 as a percentage of the top market (China - 157,330,000). ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 351 pixelsFull resolution (1425 × 625 pixel, file size: 63 KB, MIME type: image/png)This bubble map shows the global distribution of sheep in 2004 as a percentage of the top market (China - 157,330,000). ... The Highland Clearances (Scottish Gaelic: Fuadaich nan Gàidheal, the expulsion of the Gael) is a name given to the forced displacement of the population of the Scottish Highlands from their ancient ways of warrior clan subsistence farming, leading to mass emigration. ... Oldelpaso 12:53, 25 February 2006 (UTC) Category: ... For other uses, see Enclosure (disambiguation). ...

As food

Main article: lamb (food)

Chefs and diners commonly know sheep meat prepared for food as lamb or mutton (compare the French word for "sheep": mouton). An unweaned lamb Legs of lamb in a supermarket cabinet The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are culinary names for the meat of a domestic sheep. ... This article is about the food. ... An unweaned lamb Legs of lamb in a supermarket cabinet The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are culinary names for the meat of a domestic sheep. ...

Ewes' milk is used in the production of cheese and yogurt in many upland parts of the world. Well known sheep milk cheeses include the Roquefort of France, the brocciu of Corsica, the pecorino of Italy and the feta cheese of Greece. See Category:Sheep's-milk cheeses. Sheep milk contains lactose, and may trigger lactose intolerance in humans.[2] Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ... Yoghurt Yoghurt or yogurt, less commonly yoghourt or yogourt, is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. ... Country of origin France Region, town region surrounding Roquefort-sur-Soulzon Source of milk Ewe Pasteurized No Texture Semi-hard Aging time 3 months Certification AOC 1925 Roquefort is a flavorful ewes-milk blue cheese from the south of France, and one of the most famous of all French... Brocciu is one of a few available cheeses produced from ewes milk. ... For other uses, see Corsica (disambiguation). ... Pecorino Romano cheese Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese, suitable primarily for grating, made out of sheeps milk (the word pecora, from which the name derives, means in fact sheep). ... Country of origin Greece Region, town Unknown Source of milk Goat and sheep only Pasteurized Depends on variety Texture Depends on variety Aging time min. ... Lactose is a disaccharide that consists of β-D-galactose and β-D-glucose molecules bonded through a β1-4 glycosidic linkage. ...

Sheep testicles – called animelles or Lamb fries in culinary terms – are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. They are sometimes confused with Rocky Mountain oysters which are exclusively the testicles of boars or bulls. Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ... Animelles is the culinary term used for the testicles of male animals, especially young rams, when they are used as food. ... Lamb fries is the name generally given to lamb testicles that have been peeled, rolled in cracker meal, fried, and served as food. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig. ... For general information about the genus, including other species of cattle, see Bos. ...

Behavior

A flock of sheep being herded through the streets

Some breeds of sheep exhibit a strong flocking behaviour. Flocking behaviour is advantageous to non-predatory animals; the strongest animals fight their way to the center of the flock^{[dubious – discuss]} which offers them great protection from predators. It can be disadvantageous when food sources are limited and sheep are almost as prone to overgrazing a pasture as goats. In Iceland, where sheep have no natural predators, and grasses grow slowly, none of the various breeds of sheep exhibit a strong flocking behaviour^{[citation needed]}. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 554 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,886 × 1,998 pixels, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 554 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,886 × 1,998 pixels, file size: 2. ... Flocking has more than one meaning: flocking (behavior) flocking (texture) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Sheep flocking behaviour is so prevalent in some English breeds that special names apply to the different roles sheep play in a flock. One calls a sheep that roams furthest away from the others an outlier, this sheep ventures further away from the safety of the flock to graze, due to a larger flight zone or a weakness that prevents it from obtaining enough forage when with the flock, while taking a chance that a predator, such as a wolf, will attack it first because of its isolation. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The flight zone of an animal is the area surrounding the animal that will cause alarm and escape behavior when encroached upon. ... Foraging just means looking for food (or, metaphorically, anything else). ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call...

Another sheep, the bellwether, which never goes first but always follows an outlier^{[citation needed]}, signals to the others that they may follow in safety. When it moves, the others will also move. Traditionally this was a castrated ram (or wether) with a bell hung off a string around its neck^{[citation needed]}. The tendency to act as an outlier, bellwether or to fight for the middle of the flock stays with sheep throughout their adulthood; that is unless they have a scary experience which causes them to increase their flight zone^{[citation needed]}. This article is about Bellwethers in general. ... The flight zone of an animal is the area surrounding the animal that will cause alarm and escape behavior when encroached upon. ...

Some sheep have shown problem-solving abilities. According to a spokesperson of the British National Sheep Association, "Sheep are quite intelligent creatures and have more brainpower than people are willing to give them credit for."^[14] A flock in Yorkshire, England found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs.^[14] Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Cattle grid in remote Western Australia. ...

Sheep can become hefted to one particular pasture so they do not roam far from home. Since the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom, transplanted sheep have had to be trained to stay in their grazing area.^[15] Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease, is a highly contagious but non-fatal viral disease of cattle and pigs. ...

Sheep are also one of the many animals that can display a preference for homosexuality and are one of the few in which this occurrence has been systematically studied. It occurs in about eight percent of rams on average. Its occurrence does not seem to be related to dominance or flock hierarchy; rather the rams typical motor pattern for intercourse is merely directed at rams instead of ewes^[16]. Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ...

Terminology

A trio of lambs.

Sheep husbandry has existed in nearly every inhabited part of the globe, and the variations in cultures and languages which have kept sheep has produced a vast lexicon of unique terminology used to describe the practice. A few of the more major terms include: Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 554 pixelsFull resolution (2538 × 1757 pixel, file size: 711 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 554 pixelsFull resolution (2538 × 1757 pixel, file size: 711 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Look up lexicon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

• Bale – a wool pack containing a specified weight of wool as regulated by industry authorities.
• Bottle lamb or cade lamb – an orphan lamb reared on a bottle. Also "poddy lamb" or "pet lamb".
• Broken-mouth or broken-mouthed – an old sheep which has lost some of its incisor teeth.
• CFA or cast for age – sheep culled because of their age (also see "cull ewe").
• Clip – all the wool from a flock (in Australian Wool Classing).
• Comeback – the progeny of a mating of a Merino with a British longwool sheep.
• Cull ewe – a ewe no longer suitable for breeding, and sold for meat.
• Crutching – shearing parts of a sheep (especially the hind end of some woollier breeds such as Merino), to prevent fly-strike.
• Dags – clumps of dried dung stuck to the wool of a sheep, which may lead to fly-strike. (Hence "rattle your dags!", meaning "hurry up!", especially used in Australia.)
• Dagging – clipping off dags. See also "crutching".
• Draft ewe – a ewe too old for rough grazing (such as moorland), "drafted" (selected) out of the flock to move to better grazing, usually on another farm. Generally spelt "draft", but in British Isles either as "draft" or "draught".
• Earmark – distinctive mark clipped out of the ear (sometimes a tattoo) to denote ownership.
• Eartag – plastic or metal tag clipped to ear, with number or name, or (in European Union) the official flock mark.
• Fold (or sheepfold) – a pen in which a flock is kept overnight to keep the sheep safe from predators, or to allow the collection of dung for manure.
• Folding – confining sheep (or other livestock) onto a restricted area for feeding, such as a temporarily fenced part of a root crop field, especially when done repeatedly onto a sequence of areas.
• Gimmer (pronounced /ˈɡɪmɚ/, not /ˈdʒɪmɚ/) – a young female sheep, usually before her first lamb (especially used in the north of England). Also "theave".
• Hogget (also hogg, hog or hoggat) – a yearling sheep.
• In lamb – pregnant.
• Lambing – the process of giving birth in sheep. Also the work of tending lambing ewes (shepherds are said to "lamb" their flocks).
• Lamb marking – the earmarking, docking and castration of lambs.
• Monorchid – a male mammal with only one descended testicle, the other being retained internally. Monorchid sheep are less fertile than full rams, but have leaner meat than wethers.
• Mule – a type of cross-bred sheep, both hardy and suitable for meat (especially in northern England). Usually bred from a Bluefaced Leicester ram on hardy mountain ewes such as Swaledales.
• Mulesing – a practice in Australia of cutting off wrinkles from the crutch area of Merinos, to prevent fly-strike. Controversial, and illegal in other parts of the world. Named after a Mr Mules.
• Old-season lamb – a lamb a year old or more.
• Poddy lamb or pet lamb – an orphan lamb reared on a bottle. Also "bottle lamb" or "cade lamb".
• Raddle – a coloured marker strapped to the chest of a ram, to mark the backs of ewes he tups. Different rams may be given different colours. Also a verb ("that ewe's been raddled"). Also "ruddy".
• Riggwelter – a sheep that has fallen onto its back and (usually because of the weight of its fleece) is unable to get up.
• Ringing – the removal of a circle of wool from around the pizzle of a male sheep.
• Ruddy – local Cumbrian term for "raddle".
• Shearling – a yearling sheep before its first shearing. Also "teg".
• Slink – a very young lamb.
• Stag – a ram castrated after about 6 months of age.
• Stores – sheep (or cattle etc) in good average condition, but not fat. Usually bought by dealers to fatten for resale.
• Sucker – an unweaned lamb.
• Teg – a sheep in its second year. Also "shearling".
• Theave or theaf – a young female sheep, usually before her first lamb. Also "gimmer".
• Tup – an alternative term for "ram".
• Tupping – mating in sheep, or the mating season (autumn, for a spring-lambing flock).
• Weaner – a young animal that has been weaned, from its mother, until it is about a year old.
• Wether – a castrated male sheep (or goat).
• Wigging – the removal of wool from around a sheep's eyes to prevent wool blindness.
• Wool blind – when excessive wool growth interferes with the normal sight of a sheep.
• Wool pack – a standard-sized woven nylon container manufactured to industry specifications for the transportation of wool.
• Yow (pronounced /jaʊ/) – local form of "ewe" in some areas.

For other uses, see Wool (disambiguation). ... Wool classing is a profession in which wool classers are trained to produce uniform, predictable, low risk lines of wool. ... This article is about the breed of sheep. ... This article is about the breed of sheep. ... ... Dung can refer to: (what lana belchers face looks like) Look up dung in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... ... Moorland in the Pennines (England); Coarse grasses and bracken tend to dominate especially in high rainfall areas. ... This article describes the archipelago in north-western Europe. ... Dung can refer to: (what lana belchers face looks like) Look up dung in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Animal manure is often a mixture of animals feces and bedding straw, as in this example from a stable. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... Root vegetables are underground plant parts used as vegetables. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Docking is used as a term for the intentional removal of part of an animals tail or ears. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... Look up testes in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In British Sheep farming, the term Mule is used to refer to a cross between a Bluefaced Leicester ram and a fell ewe, especially a Swaledale or Cheviot. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Bluefaced Leicesters are a Longwool breed of sheep which originate from Northumberland and were made known at the beginning of the 20th century. ... Swaledale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in the North Riding of Yorkshire, in England. ... Mulesing is the surgical removal of strips of wool-bearing wrinkle skin from around the tail of a sheep. ... ... Cumbria (IPA: ), is a shire county in the extreme North West of England. ... IT FEELS REALLY GOOD IF YOU IMATATE THE ANIMALS. LOL! “Mounting” redirects here. ... Castration (also referred as: gelding, neutering, orchiectomy, orchidectomy, and oophorectomy) is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testes or a female loses the functions of the ovaries. ... This article is about the domestic species. ...

See also

• Blue tongue disease
• Dolly the sheep
• Fat-tailed sheep
• Guard llama, used as livestock guardians
• Herding dog
• Lanolin
• List of sheep breeds
• Livestock guardian dog
• Scrapie
• Sheep's-milk cheeses
• Shepherd

Blue tongue disease (also called catarrhal fever) is a non-contagious, athropod-borne viral disease of sheep and less frequently of cattle, goats, buffaloes, deer and antelopes. ... Dolly (July 5, 1996 – February 14, 2003), a ewe, was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult somatic cell. ... The fat-tailed sheep is a category of domestic sheep that comprise approximately 25% of world sheep population (Davidson, 1999). ... A guard llama is typically a single llama used in farming to protect other species from predators. ... A Koolie working with sheep. ... Lanolin, also called Adeps Lanae, wool wax, wool fat, or wool grease, a greasy yellow substance from wool-bearing animals, acts as a skin ointment, water-proofing wax, and raw material (such as in shoe polish). ... This is a list of domestic sheep breeds. ... Kazakh shepherd, his and his dogs primary job is to guard the sheep from predators Livestock Guarding Dogs (LGDs) is the name used by biologists for dogs bred to guard livestock such as sheep. ... Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the nervous systems of sheep and goats. ... Shepherd in Făgăraş Mountains, Romania. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Ensminger, Dr. M.E.; Dr. R.O. Parker (1986). Sheep and Goat Science, Fifth Edition. Danville, Illinois: The Interstate Printers and Publishers Inc.. ISBN 0-8134-2464-X. 
2. ^ Schoenian, Susan. And Other Basic Facts About Sheep. Retrieved on 2007-11-27.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Smith M.S., Barbara; Mark Aseltine PhD Gerald Kennedy DVM (1997). Beginning Shepherd's Manual, Second Edition. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press. ISBN 0-8138-2799-X. 
4. ^ Shulaw, Dr. William P. (2006). "Sheep Care Guide". Retrieved on 2007-11-27. 
5. ^ Krebs, Robert E. & Krebs, Carolyn A (2003). Groundbreaking Scientific Experiments, Inventions & Discoveries of the Ancient World. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31342-3. 
6. ^ Hiendleder S, Kaupe B, Wassmuth R, Janke A. (May 7 2002). Molecular analysis of wild and domestic sheep questions current nomenclature and provides evidence for domestication from two different subspecies.. Proceedings. Biological sciences, The Royal Society of London.. Retrieved on August 2, 2006.
7. ^ The people of New Zealand. 'Society', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand (09 June, 2006).
8. ^ Seattle Times
9. ^ Sheeppoopaper.com
10. ^ Shear Artisans. San Angelo Standard-Times (22 May, 2004).
11. ^ Top Five Sheep & Lamb Producing States. National Agricultural Statistics Service (28 January, 2005).
12. ^ Sheep and Goats. National Agricultural Statistics Service (27 January, 2006).
13. ^ Sheep Herding. Handbook of Texas Online (26 February, 2004).
14. ^ ^{a b} Crafty sheep conquer cattle grids. BBC News (30 July, 2004). Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
15. ^ Sheep taught to stay put. BBC News (3 November, 2001). Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
16. ^ OHSU

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, collects, summarizes, analyzes, and publishes agricultural production and marketing data on a wide range of items; statistical highlights summarize frequently requested data for the most recent year. ... The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, collects, summarizes, analyzes, and publishes agricultural production and marketing data on a wide range of items; statistical highlights summarize frequently requested data for the most recent year. ... The Handbook of Texas (ISBN 0-87611-151-7) is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published jointly by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) and the General Libraries at the University of Texas at Austin. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Look up sheep in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Ovis aries

• Breeds of Livestock - Sheep: (Ovis aries). Oklahoma State University. Retrieved on 2006-08-02.
• Sheep at the Open Directory Project
• Genetic origins of domestic sheep
• Sheep101.info
• A Glossary of sheep terms from the American Sheep Industry Association
• The Domestic Sheep by Henry Stewart (1898), "Natural History" and "Anatomy."

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Open Directory Project (ODP), also known as dmoz (from , its original domain name), is a multilingual open content directory of World Wide Web links owned by Netscape that is constructed and maintained by a community of volunteer editors. ...

Further reading

• Juliet Clutton-Brock. A natural history of domesticated animals (London 1987).
• Journal of Heredity. 1998 Mar-Apr;89(2):113-20. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA indicates that domestic sheep are derived from two different ancestral maternal sources: no evidence for contributions from urial and argali sheep. Hiendleder S, Mainz K, Plante Y, Lewalski H.
• G.J. Syme & L.A. Syme. Social Structure in Farm Animals (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1979).