Australian Sheep

Sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of domestic sheep, and a subcategory of animal husbandry. Sheep farming is primarily based on raising lambs for meat, or raising sheep for wool. Sheep may also be raised for milk. Some farmers specialize in breeding sheep to sell to other farmers. 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. ... Selective breeding in domesticated animals is the process of developing a cultivated breed over time. ... “Sheep” redirects here. ... Shepherd with his sheep in Făgăraş Mountains, Romania. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... It has been suggested that Lambing be merged into this article or section. ... Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, Arizona Wool is the fiber derived from the fur of animals and people of the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals such as goats and rabbits and oxes... A glass of cows milk. ...

Animal care

A flock of sheep in Serbia

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. ...

Shelter and Environment

Sheep are kept in flocks — in pens, in a barn or on pasture. In cold climates sheep need shelter in the winter. Sheep need shelter from rain for a day before shearing so that the fleece is manageable. A herd of Wildebeest A gaggle of Canada geese For other uses, see Herd (disambiguation). ... A barn in southern Ontario, Canada A barn in Wisconsin A barn in Poland Barn redirects here, for other uses, see Barn (disambiguation). ... Pastureland Pasture is land with lush herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of ungulates as part of a farm or ranch. ... This article is about wool, the fiber. ...

Health Care

Sheep, particularly those kept inside, are vaccinated when they are newborn lambs. The lambs receive their first antibodies via their mother's colostrum in the first few hours of life, and then via a booster every six weeks for next three months and then by booster every six months. Farmers work with animal nutritionists and veterinarians to keep sheep healthy and to manage animal health problems. Lambs may be castrated and have their tails shortened for cleanliness and to protect them from biting insects. Shearers or farmers need to remove wool from the hindquarters, around the anus, so that droppings do not adhere. In the southern hemisphere this is called dagging or crutching. Vaccination is a term coined by Edward Jenner for the process of administering a weakened form of a disease to patients as a means of giving them immunity to a more serious form of the disease. ... Look up veterinarian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Castration, gelding, neutering, orchiectomy or orchidectomy is any action, surgical or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes. ... A sheep shearer is a worker who uses blade or machine shears to remove the wool from sheep. ... This article is about the bodily orifice. ... Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ... Crutching is the removal of wool from around the tail and between the rear legs of a sheep. ...

Water, Food and Air

Sheep need fresh water from troughs or ponds, except that in some countries, such as New Zealand, there is enough moisture in the grass to satisfy them much of the time.

Upon being weaned from ewe's milk, they eat hay, grains and grasses. The lambs are weaned due to increasing competition between the lamb and ewe for food. Sheep are active grazers where such feed is available at ground or low levels. They are usually given feed twice a day from troughs or they are allowed to graze in a pasture. “Sheep” redirects here. ... An animal that rasps and scrapes organic mats. ...

Sheep are most comfortable when the temperature is moderate, so fans may be needed for fresh air if sheep are kept in barns during hot weather. In Australia, sheep in pasture are often subjected to 40 °C (104 °F), and higher, daytime temperatures without deleterious effects. In New Zealand sheep are kept on pasture in snow for periods of 3 or 4 days before they have to have supplemental feeding. A barn in southern Ontario, Canada A barn in Wisconsin A barn in Poland Barn redirects here, for other uses, see Barn (disambiguation). ...

Management of flocks

Marking sheep after shearing

A sheep farmer is concerned with keeping the correct ratio of male to female sheep, selecting traits for breeding, and controlling under-/over-breeding based on the size and genetic diversity of the flock. Other tasks include sheep shearing, crutching and lambing the sheep. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A ratio is a quantity that denotes the proportional amount or magnitude of one quantity relative to another. ... Genetic diversity is a characteristic of ecosystems and gene pools that describes an attribute which is commonly held to be advantageous for survival -- that there are many different versions of otherwise similar organisms. ... A sheep shearer is a worker who uses blade or machine shears to remove the wool from sheep. ... Crutching is the removal of wool from around the tail and between the rear legs of a sheep. ...

Sheep breeders look for such traits in their flocks as high wool quality, consistent muscle development, quick conception rate (for females), multiple births and quick physical development. Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, Arizona Wool is the fiber derived from the fur of animals and people of the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals such as goats and rabbits and oxes...

Another concern of a sheep farmer is the protection of livestock. Sheep have many natural enemies, such as coyotes (North America), foxes (Europe), dingoes (Australia), and dogs. Newborn lambs in pasture are particularly vulnerable, also falling prey to eagles and ravens. In addition, they are susceptible in some areas to flystrike which in itself has led to invention of practices such as mulesing. Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... For other uses, see Coyote (disambiguation). ... This article is about the animal. ... For other uses, see Dingo (disambiguation). ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... “The Eagles” redirects here. ... Species See text Many large black birds of the genus Corvus are called ravens. ... Myiasis is an animal or human disease caused by parasitic dipterous fly larvae feeding on the hosts necrotic or living tissue. ... Mulesing is the surgical removal of strips of wool-bearing wrinkle skin from around the tail of a sheep. ...

Flock of sheep moving through a city early on a holiday morning

Sheep may be kept in a fenced-in field or paddock. The farmer must ensure that the fences are maintained in order to prevent the sheep from wandering onto roads or neighbours' property. Alternatively, they may be "heafed" (trained to stay in a certain area without the need for fences). The hardy Herdwick breed is particularly known for its affinity for being heafed. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 1692 KB) [edit] Beschreibung [edit] Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sheep husbandry Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 1692 KB) [edit] Beschreibung [edit] Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Sheep husbandry Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... A green field or paddock In agriculture, a field refers generally to an area of land enclosed or otherwise and used for agricultural purposes such as: Cultivating crops Usage as a paddock or generally an enclosure of livestock Land left to lie fallow or as arable land See also Pasture... Look up paddock in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Herdwick is a variety of sheep typical to the mountainous Lake District, in North West England. ...

A shepherd and a sheep dog may be employed for protection of the flock. On large farms, dogs or riders on horseback or motorcycles may herd sheep. Shepherd in Făgăraş Mountains, Romania. ... A Sheep dog is a type of domestic dog whose original purpose was to herd or guard sheep. ...

Marking of sheep for identification purposes is often done by means of sheep tags - a type of ear tag. In some areas sheep are still identified through the use of notches cut in the ear known as ear marking, using either specially designed tools (ear marking pliers) or other cutting implements. Ear tags - also known as sheep tags or cattle tags - were first developed in the early 1913 as a means to identify livestock, specifically cattle, when testing for tuberculosis. ... It has been suggested that some sections of this article be split into a new article entitled Earmark (USA). ...

Lambing

Lambing is term for the management of birth in domestic sheep. In agriculture it often requires assistance from the farmer or shepherd because of breeding, climate or the individual physiology of the ewe. For other uses, see Farmer (disambiguation). ... Shepherd in Făgăraş Mountains, Romania. ...

Australian farmers generally arrange for all the ewes in a mob to give birth (the lambing season) within a period of a few weeks often in early Autumn. As ewes sometimes fail to bond with newborn lambs, especially after delivering twins or triplets, it is important to minimize disturbances during this period. Ewe is an ethnic group from West Africa, in Ghana, Benin and Togo. ...

In order to more closely manage the births, vaccinate lambs, and protect them from predators, shepherds will often have the ewes give birth in "lambing sheds"; essentially a barn (sometimes a temporary structure erected in the pasture) with individual pens for each ewe and her offspring.

Life cycle

Rams being taken to market

Ewes are pregnant for just under five months before they lamb, and may have anywhere from one to three lambs per birth. Some ewes can have seven or eight lambs. Twin and single lambs are most common, triplets less common. A ewe may lamb once or twice a year. Lambs are weaned at three months. Sheep are full grown at one year weighing between 70 and 125 kilograms. Sheep can live to eleven or twelve years of age. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Look up triplet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Sheep production worldwide

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, ^[1] the top ten "indigenous sheep meat" producing countries in order of quantity are: FAO emblem With its headquarters in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations programs seek to raise levels of nutrition and standard of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and, by these means, to...

1. Somalia
2. Australia
3. New Zealand
4. Iran
5. UK
6. Turkey
7. Syria
8. India
9. Spain
10. Sudan
11. Pakistan

China actually has the greatest number of sheep in terms of number of livestock (See top ten list in Domestic sheep). While New Zealand rates number 2 on the list of total quantity of "indigenous sheep meat" produced, it has the highest number of sheep per-capita (outside of the Falkland Islands). “Sheep” redirects here. ...

References

External links

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
• Dutch Texel Sheep

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See also

Agriculture General Agribusiness · Agriculture Agricultural science · Agronomy Animal husbandry Extensive farming Factory farming · Free range Industrial agriculture Intensive farming Organic farming · Permaculture Sustainable agriculture Urban agriculture Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 644 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (900 × 838 pixel, file size: 187 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term that refers to the various businesses involved in the food production chain, including farming, seed, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesaling, processing, distribution, and retail sales. ... Agricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic, and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. ... Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science that deals with the study of crops and the soils in which they grow. ... Shepherd with his sheep in FăgăraÅŸ Mountains, Romania. ... The small pig farm in Swiss mountains. ... The factual accuracy of part of this article is disputed. ... Free range is a method of farming husbandry where the animals are permitted to roam freely instead of being contained in small sheds. ... These female brood sows are confined most of their lives in gestation crates too small to enable them to turn around. ... Intensive Farming Intensive agriculture is an agricultural production system characterized by the high inputs as relative to land area (as opposed to extensive farming). ... Organic farming is a form of agriculture which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, and livestock feed additives. ... Permaculture Mandala summarising the ethics and principles of permaculture design. ... It has been suggested that Small-scale agriculture be merged into this article or section. ... Urban (or peri-urban) agriculture is the practice of agriculture (including crops, livestock, fisheries, and forestry activities) within or surrounding the boundaries of cities. ... History History of agriculture Neolithic Revolution Muslim Agricultural Revolution British Agricultural Revolution Green Revolution This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Neolithic Revolution is the term for the first agricultural revolution, describing the transition from nomadic hunting and gathering communities and bands, to agriculture and settlement, as first adopted by various independent prehistoric human societies, in numerous locations on most continents between 10-12 thousand years ago. ... The Islamic Golden Age from the 8th century to the 13th century witnessed a fundamental transformation in agriculture known as the Muslim Agricultural Revolution,[1] Arab Agricultural Revolution,[2] or Green Revolution. ... The British Agricultural Revolution describes a period of agricultural development in Britain between the 16th century and the mid-19th century, which saw a massive increase in agricultural productivity and net output. ... The Green Revolution is a term used to describe the worldwide transformation of agriculture that led to significant increases in agricultural production between the 1940s and 1960s. ... Particular Aquaculture · Christmas trees · Dairy farming Grazing · Hydroponics · IMTA Intensive pig farming · Lumber Maize · Orchard Poultry farming · Ranching · Rice Sheep husbandry · Soybean System of Rice Intensification Wheat Workers harvest catfish from the Delta Pride Catfish farms in Mississippi Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic organisms. ... A Christmas tree farmer in the U.S. state of Florida explains the pruning and shearing process of cultivation to a government employee. ... Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or more properly, an animal husbandry enterprise, raising female cattle, goats, or other lactating animals for long-term production of milk, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale. ... Grazing To feed on growing herbage, attached algae, or phytoplankton. ... Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions instead of soil. ... Harvesting of kelp (Saccharina latissima, previously known as Laminaria saccharina) cultivated in proximity to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at Charlie Cove, Bay of Fundy, Canada. ... Intensively farmed pigs in batch pens Intensive piggeries (or hog lots) are a type of factory farm specialized for the raising of domestic pigs up to slaughter weight. ... Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Lumber or Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction... This article is about the maize plant. ... A community apple orchard originally planted for productive use during the 1920s, in Westcliff on Sea (Essex, England) An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs maintained for food production. ... Poultry farming is the practice of raising poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks geese, as a subcategory of animal husbandry, for the purpose of farming meat or eggs for food. ... This article is about a type of land use and method of raising livestock. ... For other uses, see Rice (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (L.) Merr. ... The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a method of increasing the yield of rice produced in farming. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... Issues Animal rights · Animal welfare Antibiotics Battery cage · Biosecurity · BSE Crop rotation Ethical consumerism Environmental science Foie gras Foodborne illness Foot-and-mouth disease Genetically modified food Gestation crate Growth hormone Pesticide Veal crates Water conservation Weed control Animal liberation redirects here. ... Animal welfare is the viewpoint that animals, especially those under human care, should not suffer unnecessarily, including where the animals are used for food, work, companionship, or research. ... An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ... Battery Cage is an American electronic music project led by Tyler Newman. ... A biosecurity guarantee attempts to ensure that ecologies sustaining either people or animals are maintained. ... The mad cow Disease </gallery>== The mad cow Disease == Classic image of a cow with BSE. A notable feature of such disease is the inability (of the infected animal) to stand. ... Satellite image of circular crop fields in Haskell County, Kansas in late June 2001. ... Ethical consumerism is buying things that are made ethically. ... Environmental science is the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment; with a focus on pollution and degradation of the environment related to human activities; and the impact on biodiversity and sustainability from local and global development. ... Pâté de foie gras redirects here. ... A foodborne illness (also foodborne disease) is any illness resulting from the consumption of food. ... Not to be confused with hand, foot and mouth disease. ... Kenyans examining insect-resistant transgenic Bt corn. ... Female pigs used for breeding are confined in 7 ft by 2 ft gestation crates for most of their lives. ... Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin (STH) is a protein hormone which stimulates growth and cell reproduction in humans and other animals. ... A cropduster spreading pesticide. ... Veal is the meat of young calves (usually male) appreciated for its delicate taste and tender texture. ... Water conservation refers to reducing use of fresh water, through technological or social methods. ... Weed control, a botanical component of pest control, stops weeds from reaching a mature stage of growth when they could be harmful to domesticated plants, sometimes livestocks, by using manual techniques including soil cultivation, mulching and herbicides. ... Large corporations Bernard Matthews Cargill ContiGroup Companies McCain Foods Limited Maple Leaf Foods Monsanto Philip Morris Smithfield Foods Tyson Foods Wayne Farms Bernard Matthews is a food processing company headquartered in Norwich, Norfolk, with 57 farms throughout Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire [1]. They produce and market turkey and other meat products, oven-ready turkeys, day-old turkeys, fish products and other poultry products. ... Cargill, Incorporated is a privately held, multinational corporation, and is based in the state of Minnesota in the United States. ... Formed in 1813, ContiGroup Companies, Inc (CGC) was originally founded by Simon Fribourg in Arlon, Belgium as a grain-trading firm. ... McCain Foods Limited, a privately owned company established in 1957 by the McCain brothers in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada, is the worlds largest producer of french fries and other oven-ready frozen foods. ... Maple Leaf Foods TSX: MFI is a major Canadian food processing company. ... The Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) is a multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. ... Altria Group, Inc. ... Smithfield Packing Company was founded in 1936 by Joseph W. Luter and his son Joseph W. Luter, Jr. ... Tyson Foods, Inc. ... Formerly operating under Allied Mills, the Poultry Division of ContiGroup Companies, Wayne Farms LLC is the sixth largest vertically integrated producer and processor of poultry in the United States. ... Categories Agriculture by country Agriculture companies Agriculture companies, U.S. Biotechnology Farming history Livestock Meat processing Poultry farming Agropedia Portal

• Crutching
• Guard Llama, often used in the management and protection of sheep.
• Lamb marking
• List of sheep breeds
• Mulesing
• Sheep shearing