Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Ovis aries:
Scientific nomenclature for sheep
Polled:
Having no horns; usually naturally hornless
Ram:
Male sheep
Ruminant:
One of a category of animals, such as sheep, goats, and cattle, which
have a stomach with four compartments
Second cuts:
Short pieces of wool that result from cutting the same areas twice
when shearing sheep
Shearing:
The process of clipping wool from a sheep
Wether:
Castrated or neutered male
Wigging:
Removing extra wool from around the face of a closed-face sheep; also
known as facing
Sheep were one of the earliest domesticated animals. They were probably the first herd animal
domesticated by humans, being domesticated some 10,000 years ago. Since that time, they
have provided people with wool for warmth, meat, and milk for cheese and other dairy
products. The gentle sheep is one of the most beneficial of all domestic animals.
The History of Sheep and People
A pasture full of white, wooly sheep with lambs bounding at their sides is a soothing image
most people envision when trying to drift off to sleep. It is hard to imagine a more serene life-
style than that of a shepherd tending to his flock, idling the day away while the sheep graze.
Modern-day sheep farming is far removed from the idealized shepherd's lifestyle. In fact,
most sheep farmers in the United States are part-time shepherds holding another full-time job.
In the United States today, sheep are raised for both meat (lamb or mutton) and wool. The
U.S. sheep and wool industries have seen significant change since the mid-1970s. There are
fewer people involved in producing wool and meat from sheep today than there once were,
and operations are smaller. Historically, lamb and mutton were viewed as byproducts of wool
production, even though wool sales accounted for a smaller share of revenue. As money from
wool has declined, producers have turned their attention to lamb and mutton production and
the possibility of other byproducts, such as sheep leather.
Breeds
