| MEET THE SHEEP Hello! My neighbor Loki the Goat has been telling you about goats. My name is Eustace, and I'm going to tell you about sheep and some of the differences between a sheep and a goat. Sheep produce wool, right? Of course I do! But some sheep have hair rather than wool. From a distance, they may look like goats. Sheep tend to be grazers; we likc to stand on our four legs and eat grass. We're like lawnmowers. Goats are like weed-eaters. They like to browse leaves and eat small trees by standing on their hind legs. My friends in the goat pen are REALLY good at balancing on their hind legs. Of course, sheep stand on their hind legs sometimes, too and goats sometimes graze. Both sheep and goats are ruminants. That means we have four chambers to our stomachs. We eat very quickly, then during the day while we are resting, we chew some of the pre-eaten food again to break it up even more. This is called "chewing our cud." |
| A male sheep is called a RAM. A female sheep is called a EWE. A baby sheep is a LAMB. |
There are other differences between sheep and goats, of
course. Sheep need different feed than goats do, because too
much copper will make a sheep sick. Our bodies and bones
are shaped differently, too.
Humans have kept sheep for a long time, and there are
HUNDREDS of breeds of sheep. I'm a Cheviot sheep. You
can recognize a Cheviot because our ears stick up. My friend
Martha is part Merino. Merino sheep are known for their fine
wool and the rams sometimes have curly horns. The Jacob
sheep are an interesting breed, too. They are spotted and
sometimes have four horns!
You know that sheep are raised for wool or meat, but there
are a few breeds of sheep that are bred for milk. Yes, that's
right, there are a few breeds of DAIRY SHEEP. Sheep milk
is often made into gourmet cheeses.
course. Sheep need different feed than goats do, because too
much copper will make a sheep sick. Our bodies and bones
are shaped differently, too.
Humans have kept sheep for a long time, and there are
HUNDREDS of breeds of sheep. I'm a Cheviot sheep. You
can recognize a Cheviot because our ears stick up. My friend
Martha is part Merino. Merino sheep are known for their fine
wool and the rams sometimes have curly horns. The Jacob
sheep are an interesting breed, too. They are spotted and
sometimes have four horns!
You know that sheep are raised for wool or meat, but there
are a few breeds of sheep that are bred for milk. Yes, that's
right, there are a few breeds of DAIRY SHEEP. Sheep milk
is often made into gourmet cheeses.
FLOCK MENTALITY
We sheep tend to stick together. When goats are feeding in a
pasture, you'll notice that they'll scatter around looking for
food. Sheep, on the other hand, usually remain very close
together. Cheviot sheep are one of the exceptions; we don't
flock together like other breeds of sheep. This makes us
harder to herd than other breeds.
We sheep aren't stupid, but we DO panic easily. When we
get scared, we sometimes do foolish things. We'll get trapped
in a corner or even run off a high bank. The moral of this:
DON'T MINDLESSLY FOLLOW THE CROWD!
We sheep tend to stick together. When goats are feeding in a
pasture, you'll notice that they'll scatter around looking for
food. Sheep, on the other hand, usually remain very close
together. Cheviot sheep are one of the exceptions; we don't
flock together like other breeds of sheep. This makes us
harder to herd than other breeds.
We sheep aren't stupid, but we DO panic easily. When we
get scared, we sometimes do foolish things. We'll get trapped
in a corner or even run off a high bank. The moral of this:
DON'T MINDLESSLY FOLLOW THE CROWD!
EWE KNOW TO BE CAREFUL
Lots of people think of sheep as sweet, cute and
cuddly, and WE ARE! I LOVE to be petted and given
treats. ï¿¿My owners love me, but they are careful
around me and never tease me or play by hitting or
petting my head. I would think that they were wanting
to challenge me to a fight!
A ram can be VERY dangerous. We rams know that
we're supposed to protect our ewes and the little
lambs. Sometimes we think someone is dangerous
even if he's not, and we're not called "rams" for
nothing! My body is a natural battering ram.
It's best never to go into the pasture or pen with a ram
or a male horse, bull, or goat unless the owner is with
you.
Lots of people think of sheep as sweet, cute and
cuddly, and WE ARE! I LOVE to be petted and given
treats. ï¿¿My owners love me, but they are careful
around me and never tease me or play by hitting or
petting my head. I would think that they were wanting
to challenge me to a fight!
A ram can be VERY dangerous. We rams know that
we're supposed to protect our ewes and the little
lambs. Sometimes we think someone is dangerous
even if he's not, and we're not called "rams" for
nothing! My body is a natural battering ram.
It's best never to go into the pasture or pen with a ram
or a male horse, bull, or goat unless the owner is with
you.
| Mary is a Ewe, while Agnes is still a ewe lamb. Sheep aren't always the cleanest animals! (Mary has been sheared since this photo) |