FACTOID # 164: If you're looking to invade someone by sea, try Canada! Canada has only 9000 Navy personnel guarding the longest national coastline in the world.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

SEARCH ALL

FACTS & STATISTICS    Advanced view

Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 

 

(* = Graphable)

 

 


Encyclopedia > Ram (animal)
?Sheep
Conservation status: Domesticated
A flock of sheep (More)
A flock of sheep (More)
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

The domestic sheep (Ovis aries), the most common species of the sheep genus (Ovis), is a woolly ruminant quadruped which probably descends from the wild mouflon of south-central and south-west Asia. Sheep breeders refer to female sheep as ewes, intact males as rams, castrated males as wethers, yearlings as hoggets, and younger sheep as lambs. In sheep husbandry, a group of sheep is called a flock or mob. See other specialised vocabulary below. The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x962, 143 KB)Flock of sheep. ... (Redirected from Images of sheep) This page is part of Wikipedias repository of free images. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Australosphenida Ausktribosphenida Monotremata Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Arctostylopida (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia... Families Antilocapridae Bovidae Camelidae Cervidae Giraffidae Hippopotamidae Moschidae Suidae Tayassuidae Tragulidae 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. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Carolus Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as , (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[1] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... 1758 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Families Antilocapridae Bovidae Cervidae Giraffidae Moschidae Tragulidae A ruminant is any hooved animal that digests its food in two steps, first by eating the raw material and regurgitating a semi-digested form known as cud, then eating the cud, a process called ruminating. ... The Zebra is an example of a quadruped. ... Binomial name Ovis musimon Pallas, 1762 The Mouflon (Ovis musimon), one of the Caprinae or goat antelopes, is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern sheep breeds. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A herd of Wildebeest A gaggle of Canada geese For other uses, see Herd (disambiguation). ... MOB may refer to: M.O.B., hip hop group Mail-order bride Man overboard Marching Owl Band Mobile Regional Airport Montreux-Oberland Bernois, Swiss railway Movable Object Block, used in computer graphics See also Mob The Mob This page expands a three-character combination which might be any or...

Contents

[edit]

Etymology

Modern English "sheep" comes from Old English "sceap", ultimately from Common West Germanic "*skæpan", and within the Indo-European languages, unique to West Germanic languages. North and East Germanic languages use word with a different root, and most Indo-European languages use a term related to "ewe" for "sheep". Note: This page contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... Note: This page contains phonetic information presented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) using Unicode. ... The Germanic languages are a group of related languages constituting a branch of the Indo-European (IE) language family. ... The Indo-European languages comprise a family of several hundred languages and dialects [1], including most of the major languages of Europe, as well as many in Southwest Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. ...

[edit]

Cultural significance

Australian Sheep
Australian Sheep

Sheep have had associations with many cultures, especially in the Mediterranean area and Britain, where they form the most common type of livestock in pastoralism. Selective breeding of sheep has frequently occurred and in Egyptian Mythology the ram was the symbol of Heryshaf. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 481 KB) Sheep eating grass, edit of Image:Sheep eating grass. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1067, 481 KB) Sheep eating grass, edit of Image:Sheep eating grass. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... It has been suggested that Pastoralist be merged into this article or section. ... Selective breeding in domesticated animals is the process of developing a cultivated breed over time. ... 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-š=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). ...


A wide symbology relates to sheep in ancient art, traditions and culture. 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. Greek Easter celebrations traditionally feature a meal of Paschal lamb. Sheep also have considerable importance in Arab culture, with Eid ul-Adha being a major festival in Islam when a sheep is sacrificed yearly. The word “symbology” appears in several English dictionaries. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... Passover (Hebrew: פסח; transliterated as Pesach or Pesah), also called חג המצות (Chag HaMatzot - Festival of Matzot) is a Jewish holiday which is celebrated in the spring. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centred on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... This page is about the title or the Divine Person. For the Christian figure, see Jesus. ... A sacrificial lamb refers to a lamb (or metaphorical parallel) killed or discounted in some way in order to further some other cause. ... Agnus Dei is a Latin term meaning Lamb of God, and was originally used to refer to Jesus Christ in his role of the perfect sacrificial offering that atones for the sins of man in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Jewish Temple sacrifices. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب ) are predominantly speakers of the Arabic language, rather than a pure ethnic group, mainly found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ... Eid ul-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى) occurs on the tenth day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijja. ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ...


Herding sheep plays an important historico-symbolic part in the Jewish and Christian faiths, since Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and King David all worked as shepherds. This article describes some ethnic, historic, and cultural aspects of the Jewish identity; for a consideration of the Jewish religion, refer to the article Judaism. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centred on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... Faith is commonly known as a belief, trust or confidence often based on a transpersonal relationship with God, a higher power, elements of nature and/or a perception of the human race as a whole. ... Tomb of Abraham Abraham (between 2000 BC/BCE and 1500 BC/BCE) (Hebrew: אברהם, Standard Avraham Ashkenazi Avrohom or Avruhom Tiberian  ; Arabic: ابراهيم,  ; Geez: አብርሃም,  ; Father/Leader of many) is regarded as the founding patriarch of the Israelites whom God chose to bless and be a blessing to all the families of... It has been suggested that Yaqub be merged into this article or section. ... Moses strikes water from the stone, by Bacchiacca Moses or Moshe (Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה, Standard Tiberian ; Arabic: موسى, ; Geez: ሙሴ Musse) is a legendary Hebrew liberator, leader, lawgiver, prophet, and historian. ... This page is about the Biblical king David. ... In a draw in a mountainous region, a shepherd guides a flock of about 20 sheep amidst scrub and olive trees. ...


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. See: Sheep (Zodiac). Indo-European Zodiac signs, 16th century , medieval woodcuts The term zodiac (from Greek zodiakos [kyklos], circle of little animals, from zodiaion, the diminutive of zoon animal) denotes several places where a circle of twelve animals occurs. ... Photo of Aries with added art. ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... 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 (Traditional Chinese: 農曆; Simplified Chinese: 农历; pinyin: nónglì) is a lunisolar calendar incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ... The Sheep ( 羊 ) (also known as Ram or Goat) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese 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.[1] Shearing a cotswold sheep 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. 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." 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 (June 25, 1903 – January 21, 1950), better known by the pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist. ... Animal Farm: A Fairy Story is a satirical novella (which can also be understood as a modern fable or allegory) by George Orwell, ostensibly about a group of animals who oust the humans from the farm on which they live. ... Pink Floyd are an English rock band noted for philosophical lyrics, classical rock compositions, sonic experimentation, innovative cover art, and elaborate live shows. ... Sheep is a song by the British band Pink Floyd. ...

[edit]

Breeds

There are many breeds of sheep, but these are generally sub-classable as wool class, hair class and sheep meat breeds. This is a list of domestic sheep breeds. ... See Alpaca wool, Angora wool (of rabbits) and Cashmere wool (of goats) for information about other wools. ... See also lamb (disambiguation) An unweaned lamb The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are used to describe the meat of a domestic sheep. ...


Farmers develop wool breeds for superior wool quantity and quality (fineness of fibers), wool staple length and degree of crimp in the fiber. Major wool breeds include Merino, Rambouillet, Romney and Lincoln. Drysdale is a sheep bred specifically for carpet wool. Two wool samples of different staple lengths A staple is a sample of the raw material for a textile. ... Wool Classing is a profession designed for the sole purpose of grading the spinning capacity or designated purpose for the wool produced. ... Unshorn merino sheep. ... 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. ... 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). ... A carpet is any loom-woven, felted textile or grass floor covering. ...


Breeds of meat sheep include Suffolk, Hampshire, Dorset, Columbia, and Texel. Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... 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. ...


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. Another dual-use breed is the Corriedale. 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 sheep are a dual purpose breed. ... Unshorn merino sheep. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...


The Finnish Landrace sheep has a reputation for multiple births.


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 Pallas, 1762 The Mouflon (Ovis musimon), one of the Caprinae or goat antelopes, is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern sheep breeds. ... Royal White is the newest breed of sheep in America. ...

[edit]

Economic importance

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


Raising sheep occupied many farmers in ancient economies, given that this animal can give milk (and all its derivative products, such as cheese), wool, sheepskin (used for making footwear, rugs and other coverings) and meat. In the 21st century, sheep retain considerable importance in the economies of several countries. After China, the largest producers of sheep are in the southern hemisphere: Australia, New Zealand and the Patagonian regions of Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. Other countries may produce a very small proportion of the world market, but sheep nonetheless play an important role in their economy. 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 Flag_of_Australia. ... Image File history File links European_flag. ... 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 Milk is the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals (including monotremes). ... Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ... See Alpaca wool, Angora wool (of rabbits) and Cashmere wool (of goats) for information about other wools. ... Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Various meats Cold Meat Salad Meat, in its broadest modern definition, is all animal tissue intended to be used as food. ... In orange the area most commonly defined as Patagonia. ... Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian, Sardigna or Sardinna in the Sardinian language, is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (Sicily is the largest), between Italy, Spain and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ...


In the UK, 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. ... This article or section needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... The Woolsack is the seat of the Lord Chancellor in the 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.[2] Texas has by far the most sheep of any state,[3] but now has only about one-tenth[4] of the almost 11 million sheep it had in the 1940s.[5] Official language(s) See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ...


Even in the 21st century, in some situations, sheep can provide a return on investment of up to 400% 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". The Highland Clearances 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: ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

[edit]

Domestication

Grazing sheep
Grazing sheep

Domestic sheep are descended from the mouflon that is found from the mountains of Turkey to southern Iran. Evidence for domestication dates to 9000 BCE in Iraq.[6] It has been found by DNA analysis to be one of two ancestors of domestic sheep. Although the second ancestor has not been identified, both the urial and argali have been ruled out.[7] 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. Download high resolution version (640x857, 97 KB)Sheep in mountain pasture from http://www. ... Download high resolution version (640x857, 97 KB)Sheep in mountain pasture from http://www. ... Binomial name Ovis musimon Pallas, 1762 The Mouflon (Ovis musimon), one of the Caprinae or goat antelopes, is thought to be one of the two ancestors for all modern sheep breeds. ... Europe and surrounding areas in the 9th millennium BC. Blue areas are covered in ice. ... The general structure of a section of DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the biological development of a cellular form of life or a virus. ... 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. ... Argali, or 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. ... Figure 1: Chromosome. ... Argali, or the mountain sheep (species Ovis ammon) is the globally endangered wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia (Himalaya, Tibet, Altay). ... The Altai is a mountain range in central Asia, where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together, and where the great rivers Irtysh, Ob and Yenisei have their sources. ... Located in Central Asia, the Pamir Mountains are formed by the junction of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. ... Binomial name Ovis nivicola Eschscholtz, 1829 The snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) is a species of sheep, which comes from the northeast of Siberia. ...

Lambs are born with long tails which are cut off once they reach a certain age.
Enlarge
Lambs are born with long tails which are cut off once they reach a certain age.

Evidence of early domesticated sheep have 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 For other meanings of the word Jericho, see: Jericho (disambiguation) Jericho (Arabic ; ʼArīḥā; Hebrew ; Standard Hebrew YÉ™riḥo; Tiberian Hebrew YÉ™rîḫô, YÉ™rîḥô, Greek Ίεριχώ = Ίερή ηχώ, HierÄ“ Ä“chō - Holy echo) is a town in the West Bank, near... 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 are a breed of sheep descended from a population of feral sheep on the Isle of Soay. ... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² President of the Executive Council Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population   - Jan. ... Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian, Sardigna or Sardinna in the Sardinian language, is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (Sicily is the largest), between Italy, Spain and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ...

[edit]

Cuisine

See also: lamb (food)

Chefs and diners commonly know sheep meat prepared for food as lamb or mutton (compare the French word for "sheep": mouton). See also lamb (disambiguation) An unweaned lamb The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are used to describe the meat of a domestic sheep. ... Various meats Cold Meat Salad Meat, in its broadest modern definition, is all animal tissue intended to be used as food. ... See also lamb (disambiguation) An unweaned lamb The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are used to describe 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 sheepmilk cheeses include the Roquefort of France, the brocciu of Corsica, the pecorino of Italy and the feta cheese of Greece. Sheepmilk contains no lactose, and thus does not 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. ... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² President of the Executive Council Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population   - Jan. ... 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 makes up around 2-8% of the solids in milk. ...


Sheep testicles, sometimes euphemistically called prairie oysters, are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ...

[edit]

Behaviour

Two sheep in Santiago, Chile
Two sheep in Santiago, Chile
Sheep graze on green pasture lands at the edge of Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland.
Sheep graze on green pasture lands at the edge of Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland.
Sheep mating, called tupping.
Sheep mating, called tupping.
A flock of sheep in Serbia
A flock of sheep in Serbia

Some breeds of sheep exhibit a strong flocking behaviour. This was used as an example to Israelites in the Christian bible to instruct them to obey their shepherd, or master. Flocking behaviour is advantageous to non-predatory animals; the strongest animals fight their way to the center of the flock 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. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Satellite image of Santiago Santiago (full form Santiago de Chile) is the capital of Chile. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1291x1072, 204 KB) Summary Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1291x1072, 204 KB) Summary Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Basalt columns Giants Causeway A plane of columns The Giants Boot The Giants Causeway is an area of 40,000 tightly packed basalt columns resulting from a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago1. ... Motto: (French for God and my right)2 Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (De facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (De facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Office suspended... Ewe with lamb Public domain image from the Library of Congress. ... Ewe with lamb Public domain image from the Library of Congress. ... Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 858 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 858 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... 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. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Christianity. ... In a draw in a mountainous region, a shepherd guides a flock of about 20 sheep amidst scrub and olive trees. ... A monument celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, Millbank, Westminster, London Look up Slavery in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Slavery is a condition of control over a person against their will, enforced by violence or other forms of coercion. ...


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, a term originally used to refer to someone who lives far from where they work. 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. Another sheep, the bellwether, leads the others. Traditionally this was a castrated ram (or wether) with a bell hung off a string around its neck. 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. Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... The flight zone of an animal is the area surrounding the animal that will cause alarm and escape behavior when encroached upon. ... Forage is the herbaceous plant material (mainly grasses and legumes) eaten by grazing animals. ... In politics, a bellwether (often, incorrectly, bellweather or bellwhether) is a region whose political tendencies match in microcosm what occurs in a wider area. ... The flight zone of an animal is the area surrounding the animal that will cause alarm and escape behavior when encroached upon. ...


Homosexual behaviour in male sheep (found in 6–10% of rams) is associated with variations in cerebral mass distribution and chemical activity. A study reported in Endocrinology concluded that biological factors are in play; this study replicated similar findings in humans. It shows that approximately 10% of males exhibit male sexual preference, and that the brains of these males are different.[8] Homosexuality refers to sexual and romantic attraction between two individuals of the same sex. ... Endocrinology (ISSN 0013-7227) is a biomedical scientific journal published by the Endocrine Society. ...


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."[9] For example, sheep in Yorkshire, England found a way to get over cattle grids by rolling on their backs. A study published in National Geographic (December 8) showed a sheep can remember the faces of fifty other sheep for over two years. Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... 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.[10] Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease, is a highly contagious but non-fatal viral disease of cattle and pigs. ...

[edit]

Glossary

This is a glossary of terms that relate to sheep and domestic sheep. Note that some terms have localised meanings which may be used only in one geographical region, or may mean slightly different things in different areas.

  • Chevongoat meat. A term used mainly in Eastern countries.
  • Cryptorchid — a male sheep that has its testes pushed into its kidney cavity to have infertility but with increased production of lean meat due to testosterone.
  • Ewe — a female sheep, capable of producing lambs.
  • Hoggett (or Hoggatt) — a sheep which by virtue of its age and development is no longer a lamb, but not yet mutton. esp. in relation to meat breeds.
  • Lamb — a young sheep, generally unweaned. In many Eastern countries, there is a less strict definition of lamb which may include older hoggetts. Also used to refer specifically to the meat of such a sheep.
  • Mutton — an older female sheep to be used for meat. Also used to refer specifically to the meat of such a sheep. May refer to goat meat in eastern countries. Derived from the French word Mouton (sheep).
  • Ram (also called a tup) — a male sheep.
  • Old-season lamb — a lamb a year old or more.
  • Ovine — member of the genus Ovis.
  • Slink — a very young lamb.
  • Sucker — an unweaned lamb.
  • Teg — a sheep in its second year.
  • Wether — a castrated male sheep.
[edit]

Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... The term Eastern can have multiple meanings depending on its context. ... See also lamb (disambiguation) An unweaned lamb The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are used to describe the meat of a domestic sheep. ... This article is about the animal, sheep; for other meanings of Sheep, see Sheep (disambiguation). ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ...

See also

[edit]

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 and her first-born lamb, Bonnie Dolly (July 5, 1996 – February 14, 2003), a ewe, was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell. ... The fat-tailed sheep is a category of domestic sheep that comprise approximately 25% of world sheep population (Davidson, 1999). ... Icelandic lamb and ewe Icelandic sheep come in a variety of colors The Icelandic sheep is a breed of domestic sheep. ... A guard llama is typically a single llama used in farming to protect other species from predators. ... See also lamb (disambiguation) An unweaned lamb The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are used to describe the meat of a domestic sheep. ... This is a list of domestic sheep breeds. ... Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the nervous systems of sheep and goats. ... Sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. ... Shearing a cotswold sheep Sheep shearing, typically just called shearing, is the process by which the woolen fleece of a sheep is removed. ... Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep. ... In a draw in a mountainous region, a shepherd guides a flock of about 20 sheep amidst scrub and olive trees. ... See Alpaca wool, Angora wool (of rabbits) and Cashmere wool (of goats) for information about other wools. ...

References

  1. ^ The people of New Zealand. 'Society', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand (09 June, 2006).
  2. ^ Shear Artisans. San Angelo Standard-Times (22 May, 2004).
  3. ^ Top Five Sheep & Lamb Producing States. National Agricultural Statistics Service (28 January, 2005).
  4. ^ Sheep and Goats. National Agricultural Statistics Service (27 January, 2006).
  5. ^ Sheep Herding. Handbook of Texas Online (26 February, 2004).
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Roselli, Charles E., Kay Larkin, John A. Resko, John N. Stellflug and Fred Stormshak. "The Volume of a Sexually Dimorphic Nucleus in the Ovine Medial Preoptic Area/Anterior Hypothalamus Varies with Sexual Partner Preference". Endocrinology 145 (2): 478-483. Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
  9. ^ Crafty sheep conquer cattle grids. BBC News (30 July, 2004). Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
  10. ^ Sheep taught to stay put. BBC News (3 November, 2001). Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
[edit]

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. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
[edit]

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ... The Open Directory Project (ODP), also known as DMoz (from Directory. ...

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.



 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.