Domestic sheep. Pets: rabbit, goat, chickens, sheep and donkey
When it comes to sheep, livestock breeders have many questions, and the most common of them are how long does a pregnant sheep walk, how many lambs can it give birth to, is human assistance needed during lambing? All these points should be understood in detail if you decide to engage in a branch of agriculture such as sheep farming in order to know what actions to take depending on the situation that arises.
Sheep farming is a profitable business. After all, from these animals you can get not only meat, but also milk, wool, and smushki. In this case, in addition to the conditions of detention, it is necessary to study the characteristics of reproduction. For a novice farmer, it is important to know that to inseminate a herd of hundreds of sheep, only 2-3 good males aged 2 to 4 years are needed. This suggests that a large number of rams is not needed.
To consider pregnancy in a ewe and how many lambs she carries, you first need to find out how and when fertilization occurs. Puberty in sheep occurs at 6–8 months, regardless of breed, but mating is recommended after 18 months. This is due to the fact that the body is not yet strong enough for stress such as pregnancy and childbirth. The beneficial substances that cattle receive will go towards the formation of the fetus, and not towards the development of the animal. For fertilization by a ram, the sheep must begin a period of heat, which lasts from late summer to mid-winter, which depends on the climatic characteristics of the region. Sheep are detecting heat by their enlarged genital organs; some individuals secrete mucus.
The ewe shows anxiety and changes in behavior are observed.
With the onset of the hunting season, animals should be separated from the flock for mating. Within one day, a ram can impregnate 3-4 ewes. There is no need to try to inseminate a larger number of females: this will reduce the quality of the offspring. If for some reason fertilization does not occur, the hunt should be repeated after 3 weeks.
One of the main points on which the success of mating depends is good feeding both before and during mating. Sheep must be completely healthy: animals should not limp, otherwise the percentage of hunting decreases. At least 3 weeks before mating, it is recommended to graze animals on pastures with good grass or use concentrates as feeding. Varied and high-quality feeding contributes to the fact that sheep come into heat en masse. The diet should consist of balanced, complete food with sufficient amounts of vitamins, minerals and digestible nitrogenous substances. If you plan to mate semi-fine-fleece or coarse-wool sheep, then a month before the procedure the animals are shorn so that the wool does not interfere with mating.
Rams must be prepared for mating, which is very often neglected. 2 months before mating, you need to start monitoring their feeding: the animals must receive sufficient food. The feed ration should contain calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A, E, and digestible proteins. Rams, like ewes, should not lame. It is important to avoid close relationships so that the offspring do not suffer. To do this, the ram is changed every 2–3 years. Before mating, it is recommended that animals be checked for infectious diseases by a veterinarian.
Artificial insemination
If such a need arises, then artificial insemination of sheep is carried out. This type of fertilization is considered to be of the highest quality; it is performed by specialists using appropriate devices. To fertilize a ewe in this way, during the hunting period she is placed in a pen, which is located in a room with a temperature of +20...+24˚С. Before sperm is introduced into the uterus, it is checked for quality and health. Afterwards, the ewe is marked with special paint and released into the flock. To improve the result, the procedure is repeated every other day, while the sheep must remain in heat. Afterwards the animal is under observation. If she was not fertilized during the first heat, she may want to breed after 3 weeks. If she is not fertilized during the second heat, she may become barren (fail to be fertilized).
Regardless of the mating method chosen, artificial insemination has its positive aspects. This method is in demand if there is no breeding ram. In addition, sperm during artificial insemination is consumed more economically. In this case, the same volume will be enough to fertilize a larger number of sheep.
How to determine pregnancy?
How can you tell whether a sheep is pregnant or not? There are a number of signs by which one can judge that a sheep has covered itself:
- no hunting 3 weeks after the previous one;
- The sheep's behavior is calm (not in all cases).
Some sheep farmers determine whether sheep are kitted or not by the udder: if the udder is full, it means the sheep will be kitted, if not, the female is not covered. It is possible to fully establish pregnancy in sheep only two months after mating with a ram. The diagnostic procedure is as follows: stand behind the animal, grab the stomach with your hands and palpate it with both hands.
In order for the actions to be correct, press with the palm of one hand and the fingers with the other.
Thus, it is determined whether the uterus is enlarged or not, and whether there is a fetus there. Before examination, the animal should not be fed for 12 hours. The longer the period, the more noticeable the asymmetry of the abdominal cavity becomes: a bulge can be observed on the right side. In later stages, the pregnant sheep's belly increases significantly, so pregnant sheep will be easily excreted.
There are other methods by which sheep can be identified. One of these is reflexology. To carry it out, a ram is brought into the pen with the females. This should be done from 12 to 19 days after mating. The ram will help in identifying uncovered lambs. In the second half of pregnancy, internal research is effective. The method involves inserting a finger into the rectum and checking for vibration in the posterior uterine arteries. The presence of vibrations indicates that the animal is pregnant.
The course of pregnancy and preparation for lambing
Compared to other farm animals, sheep give birth smoothly. The readiness of the ewe for lambing can be judged by the enlarged and swollen udder, while attention is also paid to the pelvic part.
In this case, the pelvis lowers and the ligaments relax. In addition to these signs, a thickening of the tail is observed: it becomes softer, the skin underneath becomes inflamed, swelling and redness appear. The ewe's belly hangs down heavily and the external genitalia become swollen. Before the birth of the lamb, the animal behaves anxiously and there is a loss of appetite. If changes in behavior are noticeable, the pregnant sheep should be moved to a quiet place (a separate room). After the female is alone, she will begin to inspect the territory and sniff the walls.
When the ewe begins to row, it means that labor has begun.
You need to be prepared for the end of the pregnancy period. In this case, you need to know how long the sheep’s pregnancy lasts, which will allow you to calculate the expected day of birth. After impregnation by a ram, the uterus carries the lamb for 145 days. However, this period may decrease or increase slightly depending on the breed and other factors. Preparations for the process need to be done 10 days before the start of lambing. The designated room for childbirth should be insulated, for which you can use straw bedding. The temperature in the room must be maintained within +3...+12˚С, with an air humidity of 75–80%.
The length of pregnancy depends on the following factors:
- feeding conditions;
- breeds;
- number of fetuses and sex;
- number of previous lambings.
Livestock breeders quite often have a question: how many lambs can a sheep produce? A ewe can carry from 2 to 5 lambs, which to some extent also depends on the breed. Immediately before giving birth, the wool of a pregnant sheep is cut off near the udder, which will slightly open the teats and prevent them from getting dirty. Hair trimming is carried out near the eyes, on the inside of the thighs and near the anus.
A pregnant sheep should receive balanced, high-quality feed; overfeeding the uterus is harmful. This will lead to the fact that the fruits will be large and the sheep will not be able to roll. For the last month, the diet should consist of a glass of oats and hay. It is generally accepted that before lambing, the need for feed in sheep increases to 70%.
Sheep lambing
If the animal is healthy, then no problems should arise during pregnancy and childbirth and human participation will not be required. The process is as follows: after pushing, a sheep’s bladder comes out, bursts, and amniotic fluid flows out. After this, the female can get up and lie down several times, licking the leaked liquid. This indicates that labor has begun and is proceeding normally.
It is important to remember that the bubble must burst before leaving the genitals, and if this does not happen, you need to burst it yourself.
Otherwise the lamb will suffocate. Lambing can take up to 1 hour. If labor is prolonged, complications may be the cause. In any case, it is necessary to look after the lamb so that, if necessary, help can be provided in time. First of all, you need to find out how the fetus is located. To do this, the hand is first disinfected, lubricated with Vaseline and carefully inserted into the vagina.
If the fetus is not positioned correctly and the birth will occur with complications, then this can be judged by the following signs:
- the baby’s head is located behind the back or under the limbs;
- the legs come out first;
- the head comes out with the limbs tucked under the chest;
- the baby comes out backwards with bent legs.
To properly assist the uterus during lambing, you will need to move the fetus deep into the uterus between attempts, trying to correct the position of the lamb. As soon as pushing begins, the baby needs to be gently pulled by the limbs. This procedure should be carried out by a veterinarian or experienced livestock breeder. After giving birth, the female should have an afterbirth, which occurs within three hours. You cannot pull out the afterbirth or cut it. For it to come out naturally, the sheep must be given a lot to drink. If the placenta has not separated within 6 hours, the help of a veterinarian will be required.
With normal lambing, after the bladder comes out, the baby's front legs and head are visible. After further attempts, the lamb falls out and the umbilical cord breaks on its own. The lamb needs to clear its nose and mouth of mucus, and treat the umbilical cord with iodine. Then the mother must lick it, which will allow her to remember the smell of her baby. It must be remembered: if the ewe carried two or more lambs, then the second one comes out almost immediately after the first, since the uterus is open and nothing interferes with the exit.
Care after lambing
After lambing, it is necessary to remove the placenta and bedding from the premises, wash the rear and udder with warm water with the addition of soda. After birth, little lambs find the udder themselves, and if the sheep is not in her first lamb, she will help the babies herself. You should not give the first colostrum: you need to express it a little and only then allow the lambs to approach the mother.
The first few days the litter should be fed every 2-3 hours.
If milk remains after feeding, the sheep must be milked and the babies fed. In the first month, lambs feed mainly on their mother's milk. We must try to maintain the milk production of the ewe so that she can provide nutrition for her offspring. From 2-3 weeks they begin to accustom lambs to hay, concentrates and succulent feed. If you follow the recommendations of farmers, then the offspring must be given high-quality hay, chopped root vegetables and oatmeal.
The suckling queens are given good quality cereal and legume-cereal hay for 2–3 days. Later, wheat bran, oatmeal, corn flour, and cakes are gradually introduced into the diet. The queens begin to be given a full ration a week after lambing. The sheep should receive feed such as carrots, sugar beets, and corn silage, which will increase milk production. After lambing, as well as during the pregnancy period, low-quality feed (moldy, spoiled, frostbitten) should be avoided in the diet of ewes, which is not recommended to be given to other animals.
If the uterus eats such foods, there is a high probability of miscarriage during pregnancy, indigestion, and decreased milk production.
Sometimes a situation arises when the female does not allow the lambs to approach her and tries to bite them. In this case, it is recommended to lock the sheep with its offspring for 3 days in a close pen. Another option is possible: place the offspring under another lambing queen. In order for young lambs to be accepted by a nursing ewe, they are coated with mucus from her uterus or sprinkled with milk.
In order to avoid such questions in the process of breeding sheep: how long do pregnant sheep walk, how many lambs can a ewe bear, you need to familiarize yourself with all these points in advance, at least theoretically, if you are a novice breeder. To successfully increase the number of livestock, it is important to ensure proper care and proper feeding of not only adults, but also lambs. If you monitor the health of the offspring from birth and check the quality of feed, the animals will grow strong, which will be the key to future offspring.
“Draw me a lamb!” - The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Physiology of sheep
A very interesting fact is that sheep have the same rectangular pupils as octopuses. In addition to these animals, mongoose and goat also have rectangular eyepieces.
Physiologically, sheep are unable to perceive depth and try to avoid shadows and sharp contrasts between dark and light. They always try to move in the direction of the light.
Sheep peas are often referred to as sheep droppings that are oval shaped and do not stick together.
Sheep have a very good memory and are able to plan for the future.
Sheep have acute hearing. They are extremely frightened by loud noises. They spend a third of their lives in a state of “thoughtfulness” and require peace and quiet. Fleeing from danger, a sheep may accidentally fall on its back, and if it is not helped to rise or roll over, it may die after lying on its back for a long time.
Sheep do not like to walk in water or go through narrow holes. They prefer to move against the wind and uphill than with the wind and downhill.
A newborn lamb recognizes its mother by her voice. Sheep often give birth to twins.
A sheep is a herd animal; it does not feel well and even experiences severe stress if it lives alone. The anxiety level goes away if she sees other sheep nearby.
Sheep in mythology and religion
One of the characters in ancient Greek mythology is Crius, a ram with a golden fleece, who was considered the son of Poseidon and Theophanes. He was sacrificed to the god of war, Ares. From mythology it is known that he had the ability to fly. It was on it that Frixus and Hella went to Colchis. According to Hecataeus, he had the ability to speak in a human voice, encouraging Phrixus, he himself ordered himself to be sacrificed to the gods.
The historical interpretation of this event suggests that Crius was the mentor of Phrixus, who managed to take Phrixus to Colchis (Asia) on a ship, and Hella, not surviving, died on the way. Kriya was sacrificed to the gods by flaying him. His skin was then gilded and hung in the temple. According to Eratosthenes, the ram himself took off his golden skin, gave it to Phrixus and, ascending to the sky, became one of the constellations. The constellation Aries was named by the Greeks precisely in honor of Krius, from whose skin the Golden Fleece was obtained.
Ram horns were considered a powerful magical artifact among the people of Ancient Asia. Thus, in ancient Egyptian iconography, the main gods (Khnum - the creator of people, Amon - the sun god) and some of the rulers of Egypt were depicted in the form of a man with a ram's head. And although many adult rams sort things out with the help of large curled horns, colliding with each other at high speed, bighorn sheep for some reason do not want to do this.
Sheep also deserve frequent mention in Christianity. The flock of Catholic priests is often compared to obedient sheep. Sheep are mentioned at least 200 times in the Bible. In the New Testament, people are compared to sheep, and Jesus is compared to the Shepherd and Shepherd. “The Good Shepherd leads them home, and the Lord their God will save them in that day, like His people like sheep.” Some Christian saints patronize shepherds, and some protect sheep. Jesus Christ is often depicted as the sacrificial Lamb of God.
In Slavic mythology, the ram is associated with death. According to ancient Russian belief, after death, suicides turn into rams, which the devil harnesses to his cart. They used to say about suicides: “Damn a sheep.”
In Madagascar, to this day, sheep are not eaten, since the beliefs of the aborigines suggest that the souls of their ancestors are embodied in them.
Sheep in predictions
In fortune telling (scapulimancy), the shoulder of lamb is used as the main tool for predicting a person's fate. There is even a special expression preserved in the English language, which literally means: “read by the scapula bone.” During the fortune-telling process, the right shoulder of lamb, boiled in water and cleaned of the remaining meat and cartilage, is held over an open fire until the bone cracks. After this, the sorcerer begins to “study” the results. The longest longitudinal crack, designated as the “life line,” is selected as the basis. Transverse cracks lying to the right of the main line foreshadow joyful events in a person’s life; on the left are obstacles and bad omens. The black spot is a sign of death, and the closer it is to the “life line,” the faster a person can die.
Sheep in astronomy
Aries is the point of the spring equinox. This is one (March 21) of the most significant days of the year on Earth. It is from this day that summer time begins in the Northern Hemisphere. Many peoples, including the Slavs, celebrated the New Year on this day.
Domestication of the sheep
It seems that people and sheep have existed inextricably since time immemorial, but this is not so. Like other types of domestic animals, the sheep was originally a wild animal. The sheep was domesticated by people approximately 6-8 thousand years ago, according to scientists, in the territory of modern Turkey.
After DNA research, it became clear that domesticated sheep have an equal number of chromosomes only with mouflon. It is believed that short-lean-tailed sheep originated from mouflons, fat-tailed and long-lean-tailed breeds, including fine-wooled ones, from argali, and modern fat-tailed sheep from argali.
From sheep people get wool, meat, skin, milk and cheese (brynza). Sheep meat is called lamb. Castrated rams are called rams.
Sheep farming is one of the most important branches of livestock farming. Sheep farming is practiced in many countries and plays a significant role in the economy of many countries. The largest number of sheep is currently found in countries such as China (144 million heads) and Australia (98 million)
Many people like to wrap themselves in warm clothes knitted from natural wool. And this is not surprising, because the main property of wool is to retain heat. Scientists are still not able to reproduce raw materials synthetically as a replacement for natural merino wool. Every year, at the Golden Bale auction, elite fabrics are created from this wool. Extremely thin (18 -19 microns thick) merino wool is especially valued.
Unlike goats, they quickly get used to their new owners and place of residence.
If sheep are grazing in an open, unfenced area, then they begin to huddle together and do not leave each other a single step, but if they see a fence, they feel safe and graze serenely.
Livestock farmers classify sheep by the type of tail they have. The tails of long-fat-tailed sheep are very long and are able to accumulate a sufficient supply of fat with good nutrition. Therefore, farmers sometimes attach small carts or sleds to such a tail so that it does not accidentally get torn off, dragging along the ground and stones.
During one shearing, approximately 10 kg of wool is sheared from an adult healthy sheep.
Rams and sheep have an interesting ability to remember the image of their shepherd. During the movement of the general herd, driven to a watering place, several flocks of sheep mix. However, if the shepherd calls his sheep, then his flock leaves the water and goes to graze in the pasture. The reason that a strange ram or sheep has wandered into the herd is an ear or eye disease. The sheep always follow the shepherd, and it is not the shepherd who drives them from behind.
In winter, if the sheep see a standing shepherd, they surround him in a tight ring, but as soon as he sits down, they begin to scatter and it is likely that they will freeze and die from hypothermia.
Sheep have few ways of protecting themselves from predators; they can only quickly run away or group together into one herd. Therefore, shepherds use dogs to gather all the sheep into a flock. Sheep instinctively mistake the dog for a predator, and gather for protection, trying to protect themselves.
Sheep breeds
The average lifespan of sheep depends on their breed. The Urial breed has the shortest lifespan (6 years). Bighorn sheep can be called the longest-livers among sheep; at home, they can live up to 24 years.
Mouflon or mountain sheep are one of the few large mammals that live on mountain slopes, and go to altitudes of up to 5000 meters above sea level. They prefer rocks and scree. Although most of the time they graze in alpine meadows, they hide among the rocks at any slightest danger. Animals are extremely shy and easily abandon their habitual places, becoming strays, and changing their usual paths.
In the mountains of Central and Central Asia, including in the south of Siberia, at altitudes from 2400 to 2800 meters above sea level, you can find Argali or mountain sheep, or argali (lat. Ovis ammon). Rams of this species have luxurious and very heavy horns. Some representatives of argali carry horns weighing up to 35 kg. In our country, it lives in remote mountainous areas and is listed in the Red Book.
There are quite expensive breeds of sheep, the cost of one copy of which reaches $2,000,000.
Sheep hybrids
There are known cases of sheep crossing with other species of animals. We are talking about hybrids obtained by crossing a goat and a ram. For example, in 2000 in Botswana, a ram and a goat were crossed as a result of prolonged cohabitation. The animal was named "Toast of Botswana". A ram and a goat have different numbers of chromosomes - 54 and 60. Therefore, in most cases, their offspring are most often stillborn. The surviving hybrid managed to inherit the characteristics of both of its parents at once. He had long wool, like a sheep, and the legs were like a goat. The animal had the heavy body of a lamb. At the age of five years, his weight was 93 kilograms (considering that the average weight of an adult ram is 53 ± 13.83 kg). The animal had 57 chromosomes. The hybrid was very active, had an increased libido, and was completely sterile. At the age of 10 months he was castrated.
In New Zealand, there is a known case of the birth of a female hybrid, also from a goat and a ram, the number of chromosomes was also 57. This hybrid was also infertile.
The most interesting fact is that, in France, a similar hybrid was able to produce new offspring from a ram. One fetus turned out to be stillborn, and the second was alive, male and had 54 chromosomes.
In the Nizhny Novgorod region, Irina Mikhailovna Nemesh, on her personal farm, managed to obtain offspring from a goat and a sheep. She gave her hybrids the name “bazli” (a combination of the words rams and goats). The hybrids grew somewhat larger than the sheep. Adult basleys were similar in appearance to sheep, their wool was similar to the wool of Caucasian shepherd dogs, the undercoat was thinner, and they shed in the spring, like a goat. Of the twelve heads of bazles, only three were males. Despite infertility, they had increased libido.
Sheep incidents
In the coastal town of Helgoisund, Norway, residents and tourists could see a rather ridiculous sight. Having caught its horn on an electric wire and thus being in a suspended state, the ram bleated as loud as he could. This happened at a height of 6 meters from the ground, and he did not receive electric shocks. The probable reason for how he managed to get there is the following. The animal was peacefully nibbling grass on the top of a hill and accidentally got caught on a wire, and then simply rolled down the hill under its own weight along the wire. Witnesses began to save the poor fellow. This turned out to be a difficult task. The ram, kicking in horror, did not allow the loops of the rope to be thrown over itself. Only an hour later the animal was able to be lowered to the ground safe and sound.
Sheep in science
The first cloned animal in the world is a sheep named Dolly. She was reproduced from a cell taken from her own mammary gland. Ian Wilmut, the leader of the research group, in an attempt to come up with an association with the mammary glands, remembered the breasts of the famous American country singer, Dolly Parton. However, few people know that 277 defective clones were destroyed before the experiment to clone a mammal from somatic (non-reproductive) cells was completed successfully.
Sheep in people's lives
“Oh sheep, so tame and unpretentious in food. They become so greedy and unbridled that they devour the people themselves, devastate and make fields, houses and cities deserted,” wrote Thomas More in his work “Utopia,” describing the events that took place in England in the 17th century during the formation of capitalism. The massive expulsion of defenseless peasants from their native lands due to the fact that the sheep belonging to the future bourgeoisie had nowhere to graze, led to the mass extermination of the population. According to historians, the population of “good old” England decreased from 7% to 30%.
Counting sheep is quite a tedious task since there are so many of them in a flock. Monotonous calculations dull a person’s attention and drive him into a meditative state. That's why we are often told to count sheep if we can't sleep.
Sheep in linguistics
The catchphrase in our language “staring like a ram at the new gate” does not refer to sheep at all, as many believe. In ancient times, warriors of the Assyrians and then the Romans, when storming enemy cities and fortresses, smashed the gates using a heavy log with a metal knob in the shape of a ram's head.
In our speech, we often use the phrase “white crow” to designate a person who differs in behavior or in some other way from a certain designated group of people. In European languages, the analogue of this expression is the idiomatic expression “black sheep”. At the same time, Europeans, when uttering this phrase, also indicate the undesirability of such an individual being in this group. In this aspect, the idiom is very close to another Russian expression - "black sheep".
The medieval French comedy has an episode where a rich clothier sues a shepherd who stole his sheep. During the meeting, the clothier, in a fit of anger, forgets about the shepherd and showers reproaches on his lawyer, who did not pay him in the past for 6 cubits of cloth. The judge interrupts his speech with these words: “Let's go back to our sheep.” Subsequently they became winged.
There are many sayings in the Russian language that mention sheep. Examples:
A black sheep has at least a tuft of wool. Rotten apple injures its neighbors.
Sheep in art
The sheep is seen as a symbol of meekness and humility.
Monument "Black Sheep" in Savonlinna, in London there is a sculpture "Shepherd and Sheep".
“Sheep Gas Station” is the name given to 25 statues erected at a gas station in New York's West Side, Chelsea, thanks to the Getty Station government art program. The installation made of epoxy stone and bronze was created by the hands of Michael Shvo and Pavel Kasmin, who decided to reimagine the cartoon characters of the French artist Francois-Xavier Lalan.
In the cartoon "Smeshariki", the ram (one of the races of the cartoon) has curly light purple hair, purple horns and hooves.
Sheep records
A sheep named Shrek once managed to escape from the farm where he grew up. For 6 years he wandered through the mountains. However, he was later found. It was not easy to recognize him. The fact is that over these years of wandering, he has become seriously overgrown with fur. After his capture, the farmer cut 27 kg of wool from him.
However, the record for the amount of wool sheared does not belong to Shrek. At the “Red Shepherd” state farm in the Kherson region (Ukraine), 31.7 kg were shorn from just one ram per year. At the same time, the weight of the ram reached 130 kg.
Almost everyone knows that a sheep and a ram are two opposite sexes of the same animal species. But not everyone has the knowledge of how to distinguish these individuals from each other, even in a small flock. Meanwhile, the differences between a ram and a sheep are quite pronounced and easily visible.
Description of the animal
Surely everyone knows what a sheep looks like. This animal belongs to the order of artiodactyls and, like the goat, is a representative of the bovid family. Sheep presumably originated from mouflons (wild sheep) that live in the mountains. And these animals owe their current appearance to the man who domesticated sheep and was engaged in their selection for many centuries.
As for the specific features of the animal’s appearance, they vary greatly depending on the breed and living conditions. The most characteristic nuances of the exterior of these animals include the following:
- long, thick, curly hair in small rings (only in some breeds does it grow straight, without curls);
- thick horns twisted in a spiral (as with wool, there are completely polled varieties);
- strong legs with developed muscles;
- strong hooves, distinguished by a split front part.
Externally, sheep are quite similar to domestic goats. But in addition to the shape of the horns and thick fur, the former are also distinguished by their larger dimensions. The weight of livestock, depending on the breed and gender, varies between 70-200 kg.
By nature, sheep are herd animals. They feel most comfortable in a large flock. At the same time, keeping animals individually causes them serious stress, which affects their growth and development.
Reference. In total, today there are over 800 breeds of sheep. All of them are divided into meat, dairy, wool and combined productivity.
Are sheep and ram the same thing?
The question of the similarity of the concepts “sheep” and “ram” involves certain difficulties. They lie in the fact that each of these words in the Russian language implies two interpretations at once. According to the first, “ram” is an entire genus (classification unit), which includes several different species of animals. “Sheep” implies only one species of the sheep genus, which was domesticated by man.
The second meaning of the terms is more narrow. It involves different genders within the same type of domestic animal. A ram is a male in a flock. A sheep is a female who is responsible for childbirth and feeding the young.
Thus, these two concepts cannot be perceived as the same thing. In both cases they suggest different interpretations.
How to distinguish a female from a male?
If a ram and a sheep are not the same animal, then it is necessary to clearly distinguish how they differ from each other. If we take these terms in the narrow sense, then representatives of different sexes differ from each other in several characteristic features, the main ones being:
- Weight. Rams, regardless of breed, weigh 1.5 times more than a sheep. On average, an adult ram reaches a weight of 100-120 kg, and the weight of a female does not exceed 70-75 kg.
- Presence of horns. In most cases, only male sheep have horns. Females are distinguished by their polled appearance. But this sign is not always true. There are completely hornless breeds. And in some species, even females have horns.
- The structure of the genital organs of animals.
- Presence of an udder. Sheep milk is highly valued in cooking among some peoples. But only sheep can produce such products, since they have an udder. The function of rams is not to feed their offspring, therefore they do not have mammary glands.
Certain differences lie in the behavior of animals. Thus, males are characterized by competition for females in the flock and frequent manifestations of aggression towards other males. Females, on the other hand, are calm and unquestioningly follow other members of the herd.
What is a baby sheep called?
In addition to certain difficulties in understanding how a ram and a sheep differ, many also do not know the correct name of the baby resulting from their mating. Quite often, the answer to this question is such comical terms as “ram”, “ram”, “sheep” and other similar ones. But none of these concepts are official.
The common word for a baby sheep is “lamb.” This is what the young animals of these animals are called before they enter puberty. In sources related to religion, the similar-sounding name “lamb” is also often found. But it is not considered generally accepted and refers, as a rule, to young sheep, which were designated for sacrifice in ancient times.
As for the term “lamb,” it is not possible to reliably trace its origin. But the overwhelming majority of researchers agree that the concept is based on the Latin word “agnus”, which means “sheep”. To this base in the Russian language a suffix was added indicating a small individual.
What is the name of lamb meat?
And finally, it should also be clarified what sheep meat is called, because this question also involves its own nuances. The generally accepted name for meat products obtained from the slaughter of sheep is “lamb”. This is the word used to designate meat of this category on the market.
But a more specific approach to the issue involves dividing all sheep meat into two separate categories:
- Lamb. This concept refers to meat products obtained from one-year-old sheep.
- Mutton. Lamb is the meat of animals that are more than one year old.
Reference. Among lovers of such meat products, lamb is valued much higher. It is believed that the pulp of one-year-old lambs contains significantly more beneficial properties. In addition, the taste of this meat is richer, and the flesh itself has a delicate consistency. Naturally, the difference is reflected in the cost of each type of meat product.
Thus, the concepts of sheep and ram are correlated depending on the context that stands behind each of the concepts. In a broad sense, these are different units of classification of species of animals of the bovid family. A narrower meaning implies that these terms refer to the female and male individuals within the same species of domestic animal. In the second case, there is a clear series of characteristics by which, taking into account the characteristics of the breed, one can easily distinguish a ram from a sheep.
Contents of the article
SHEEP(Ovis aries), a domestic animal, a ruminant mammal of the bovid family (Bovidae), which also includes goats and cattle, of the order Artiodactyla. In a narrower sense, “sheep” is only the female of this species, while males are called rams (as the genus Ovis in general and all its wild taxa), young animals - lambs, and young, unmated females - lambs.
Among the characteristics characteristic of sheep are the presence of glands that open through ducts between the fingers, spirally curved horns with transverse ridges, and the absence of a beard in males. Not all sheep produce fleece, i.e. wool removed during shearing in the form of a single layer; some are of the smooth-haired type.
Origin.
Although the exact origin of domestic sheep is unknown, their ancestors are considered to be wild taxa that still exist today, most notably the European mouflon ( Ovis musimon), Asian mouflon ( O. orientalis) from the Middle East and the urial, also called the steppe, or Ladakhi, ram ( O. orientalis vignei), living in Central Asia.
Sheep appear to have been domesticated along with other livestock during the Neolithic, 12,000–8,000 years ago. At Middle Eastern Neolithic sites, the closer to our time, the more remains of sheep are discovered, along with spindles and other evidence of weaving. By the beginning of the historical era, coarse-wooled, fat-tailed and primitive fine-fleeced sheep appeared. Judging by the oldest written monuments, sheep were widely used to obtain both meat and wool, which was already one of the most important items of trade in those days. In Europe, sheep began to be raised on settled farms. In Central Asia they were probably domesticated later than in the Middle East, but sheep breeding spread over vast territories and became the basis for the well-being of nomadic peoples.
Fine fleece sheep.
Sheep of this type appear to have originated in the Middle East, possibly from mixed flocks, some of which arrived there from Central Asia. Ultimately, the fine-wooled animals disappeared everywhere except Spain, where they were significantly improved and gave rise to the Merino breed group, which was formed in the period from 1000 BC. to 1700 AD It still remains the world's main source of fleece wool and has been repeatedly used to create new and improve existing breeds.
Spanish merino gave rise in other regions to more productive breeds of the same group with wool of improved quality. Among them, ramboulier from France, Saxon, Silesian and precos merino from Germany, Delene-merino from the USA, Australian, New Zealand, South African, Argentine and Uruguayan merino deserve mention.
Merino sheep first came to Russia in 1802, but they began to pay sufficient attention here only in our century. The main share of the fine-fleece herd in the USSR was made up of Merino-Precos animals.
Modern breeds.
Most of the highly productive modern breeds of sheep for meat and meat and wool were created in the British Isles or with the significant participation of British breeds. There are 31 purebred sheep breeding associations in Britain. Historically, sheep have been one of the world's main sources of meat and wool, and their milk was used primarily to make cheese. Sheep have long been and in some places remain the basis of trade - both directly and “in the form” of wool - a relatively non-perishable product that is easy to transport. In fact, wool is still one of the most important agricultural commodities used in world trade.
The first settlers took sheep with them as a source of meat, driving them to new lands by land or bringing them on ships. Sheep have accompanied people on their mass migrations throughout world history, mixing along the way with local herds or becoming the first livestock to enter developed territories. They were highly valued, among other things, for their ease of adaptation to a wide variety of pasture.
Many sheep, especially in Central Asia and the Middle East, are of the fat-tailed and fat-tailed types, producing coarse carpet wool. In various countries, selection and improvement of local herds have led to the emergence of specialized meat, wool and dairy lines. Attempts to introduce highly productive Western breeds into new regions are often difficult due to their unadaptability to local natural conditions and, mainly, susceptibility to local diseases, to which native sheep are usually partially or completely resistant.
Types of sheep and their uses.
It is believed that there are now 850 improved and unimproved breeds of sheep in the world. They are usually divided into categories based on the nature of their tail. Longtails include both primitive and improved Western breeds. Fat-tailed animals include animals with a very long tail, which accumulates large reserves of fat when well fed. The tail can become so heavy that shepherds sometimes have to fit small carts or sleds around it to keep its skin from being stripped off on the ground. Such breeds include, for example, the Voloshskaya from European Russia and the Hanyang from China.
In broad-tailed breeds, the long tail widens at the top, forming wide blades of fatty tissue on the sides. An example is Karakul wool sheep, originating from the Middle East, but bred mainly in Central Asia.
Fat-tailed sheep have a very short tail, which is usually not noticeable outwardly due to the huge forked fat pad (fat tail) hanging from the animal's rump. An example is the Chui breed from the Bukhara region in Uzbekistan.
Short-tailed sheep differ from fat-tailed sheep in the absence of large fat deposits (fat) on the rump. Examples are the short-tailed breed from the European part of Russia and the Abyssinian from northeast Africa.
In the West, few are familiar with Asian sheep, which are mainly of the fat-tail, broad-tail and fat-tailed types. In the east, they are used as a source of meat, cooking oil, milk, cheese, smushki (young animal skins) and spinning wool.
Similar breeds of sheep producing the same products exist in Africa, Mediterranean countries and Eastern Europe. The most primitive types have coarse wool with a small admixture of fine fibers. In addition, it contains hollow fibers filled with air. This type of wool is called carpet wool and is not used for the production of modern fabrics.
There are also a number of rather unusual breeds, sometimes of bizarre appearance. Thus, in Germany, East Friesian dairy sheep, used primarily for milk production, are characterized by fairly long, coarse hair throughout the body, except for the tail, which is almost naked, covered only with short down. These ewes usually give birth to twins at the first lambing, and twins and triplets at the next lambing. Their milk yield is very high: during lactation (228 days) they receive an average of 600 kg of milk with a fat content of 6%.
Highly productive lines of the fat-tailed Awassi breed are also used as dairy products in Israel: on average, per lactation they produce 270 kg of product with 6% fat content. The milk of these sheep is in great demand in Arab countries, mainly for making cheese. The Chios breed in Greece is close to the Awassi in terms of productivity.
Another dairy breed is the Manesh from the French Pyrenees. These are black-faced, horned animals with coarse fur. The lambs are usually sold fattened to around 11kg and the ewes are milked. The milk is used to produce the famous Roquefort cheese.
Some sheep breeds produce between three and seven lambs per lamb, such as the Finnish Landrace, the Romanov from Russia, the Dman from Morocco, the Javan Skinny Tail, the Hanyang from China and the Burula from Australia.
Many breeds are characterized by unusual appearance. Thus, the Guinea long-legged sheep has very long limbs and a narrow body; the primitive Tsakel breed, distributed from Turkey and Greece to Hungary, is distinguished by long spiral horns protruding above the head; one of the breeds, raised in Iceland and the Hebrides, has animals with two to six horns (the same sheep are bred by the North American Navajo Indians).
The broad-tailed Karakul breed is famous for the high quality of skins (smushki) taken from newborn lambs. This fur is used to make fur coats and hats.
The UK has also created some very distinctive breeds. For example, Wiltshire Horn sheep are famous for their meat productivity, but their wool is very short, while Wensleydale sheep have coarse, very wavy, fibers curved at the end, growing 36–45 cm in 12 months. The latter breed was created specifically for the production of female hairpieces, as well as theatrical and court wigs.
Sheep breeds are very diverse in terms of use, build and color. Most sheep are white, although dark-colored ones sometimes appear in their litter. Others are black, such as the Welsh Highland sheep. Animals of fat-tailed and fat-tailed breeds, for which conformation standards are not too strict, are brown, gray, reddish and motley.
Groups of modern improved breeds.
Modern breeds are classified in several ways. Based on the color of their muzzle, they are divided into black-faced and white-faced. In the main direction of use - on meat, meat and wool, wool, dairy, sheepskin and fur coats and smushkov. According to the quality of wool, fine-fleece, semi-fine-fleece, semi-coarse-wool, coarse-wool, as well as short-wool, medium-wool, long-wool and carpet-wool sheep are distinguished. The latter's wool is much less uniform in length and fiber diameter than the long-haired ones. Runeless people can be considered a separate group, i.e. smooth wool sheep. They account for approximately 10% of the world's population.
Modern breeds differ from primitive ones by higher meat, milk and wool productivity, depending on their specialization. This is due to an increase in size and change in the composition of animals. Simultaneously with the increase in the quantity of the product, its uniformity and quality increased. However, at the same time, resistance to diseases and adverse environmental factors often decreased. Typically, modern breeds, in order to fully realize their highly productive potential, require more care, better feed and living conditions compared to primitive ones.
Main sheep-breeding regions.
It is estimated that there are just over 1.1 billion sheep in the world. The leaders in their population are Australia, China, New Zealand, Russia, Iran, India, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Great Britain, Uruguay, Argentina, Spain, Ethiopia and Sudan. More than half of the total sheep supply comes from developing countries. Sheep are one of the components (although not the main one) of complex agricultural systems. They provide people with food, clothing and money, and are the most important source of income for some of the poorest peoples.
In principle, most sheep are found in countries with extensive semi-arid pastures. However, the concentration of these animals per unit area is maximum in New Zealand: more than 50 million of them graze on wet grasslands.
The main share of fine wool in the world comes from Australia and South Africa, where many Merino sheep are bred. In Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East there are large numbers of rough-wooled, fat-tailed and fat-tailed sheep. In Western countries, sheep are mainly of the meat-and-wool type, with a predominance of fine-wool sheep where there is sufficient good pasture.
Feral sheep.
Currently, domestic sheep living and breeding without human intervention are found in Britain, Norway, Sweden, the southeastern and western United States, New Zealand, Hawaii and some other oceanic islands. Typically, they reach high numbers only in mild climates, where there are no large predators, in particular stray dogs, and law or geographic isolation protects them from extermination by humans.
Origin and history of domestication
Sheep were domesticated by humans already in ancient times, more than 8 thousand years ago in the territory of modern Turkey, Syria, and northern Mesopotamia.
It has been suggested that the sheep are descendants of the mouflon or urial. Cytogenetic analysis data suggest that the ancestor of the domestic sheep was mouflon. The karyotype of the urial contains 58 chromosomes, while the number of chromosomes in the domestic sheep and mouflon is 54.
Description
Domestic sheep- artiodactyl ruminant, well recognizable by the spirally branched horns of males and curly hair. In other wild species of sheep, as well as in the ancestors of the sheep itself, the wool is not curled into rings, and the tail is noticeably shorter. Some primitive breeds of sheep may also have a small tail, but long tails, as well as white wool, appeared in animals only at an early stage of domestication. In the structure of the skull, domestic sheep differ from their wild relatives in having narrower eye sockets and a smaller brain size. As a rule, sheep have well-developed horns, but some breeds may not have them at all or only males have them. The legs are strong and well adapted for long journeys over mountainous terrain.
Size and weight domestic sheep varies greatly depending on the breed. The growth rate and weight of an adult animal are largely dependent on heredity, and for this reason selective selection is often made on the basis of these characteristics. Adult females usually weigh 45-100 kg, while larger males weigh 70-160 kg. The record weight of a ram (Suffolk breed) reached 247.2 kg. In general, the height at the withers of animals is 55-100 cm, and the body length is 60-110 cm. The muzzle is pointed in the lower part, has a straight or sometimes hook-nosed profile, and is almost completely (except for the lips and edges of the nostrils) covered with fine hair. The lips are thin and very mobile. Like other representatives of the ram genus, domestic sheep on the facial surface of the lacrimal bones, under the inner corner of the eye sockets, there are “tear holes” - skin depressions rich in sweat sebaceous glands, the secretions of which accumulate in the form of a fatty odorous mass - a secret fluid. Similar depressions, called "hoof glands", are present between the upper joints of both fingers. The secretion secreted by these glands gives the sheep its characteristic odor.
Structure of a sheep's skull
The room in which sheep are kept is called a shed.
Artificial insemination of sheep
For sheep, vaginal, cervical and uterine methods are applicable. To inject sperm using the vaginal method, a glass syringe catheter with a dosing device is used. For cervical insemination you need a speculum and a microsyringe. The uterine method of sperm injection involves the use of a laparoscope.
Sense organs
Sheep pupil
All sheep have good hearing and are sensitive to sudden noise. Lateral placement of the eyes and horizontally elongated pupils increase the viewing angle to approximately 270-320°, which allows animals to look behind without turning their head (thick fur can reduce the viewing angle). However, spatial vision in sheep is not sufficiently developed (only from 25° to 50° from the viewing angle is binocular vision) - shadows and depressions in the ground can slow down the movement of animals. In general, sheep avoid dark areas and prefer open, well-lit spaces. Sheep are believed to have color vision and can distinguish several colors, including black, red, brown, green, yellow and white. Sheep's eyes lack an accommodative mechanism, which means that their assessment of the depth of an object is less accurate than that of some other animals (including predators). Sheep eyes are less susceptible to farsightedness and astigmatism. In general, these vision characteristics are expected to provide well-focused images of objects at medium to long distances. Visual communication is very important for sheep and they constantly maintain visual contact with each other. Each sheep raises its head from time to time to check the location of the other sheep in the herd, which ensures that the herd moves together during grazing. Sheep isolated from the herd show signs of stress. If such a sheep is provided with a mirror, stress levels decrease, indicating the calming effect of the image of another sheep nearby.
An important sensory organ for sheep is taste. Sheep prefer sweet and sour plants, usually neglecting bitter ones. Presumably, vision and touch also play a role in the selection of preferred food.
Sound communication
The sounds produced by domestic sheep can be divided into bleats, grunts, rumbles and snorts. The most common sound in the communication of members of a herd with each other is bleating, especially when communicating between mother and lambs. Each sheep's bleat has individual characteristics, allowing members of the flock to recognize each other by their bleats. Newborn lambs bleat loudly to their mother, but within a few weeks after the lambs are born, this effect fades away. Bleating can also indicate anxiety, frustration, or impatience. As a rule, sheep do not vomit in pain, but do bleat when they are isolated. Pregnant females make sounds resembling grunts during childbirth. The ram makes rumbling sounds during the courtship period. The female can make similar sounds, especially when near newborn lambs. Snorting can mean a warning or aggression, but can also be a sign of anxiety and a reaction to surprise.
The image of a sheep in culture
Black sheep in the herd
The image of the sheep is present in many cultures, especially in areas where sheep are the most common type of livestock.
In contrast, in other cultures the ram, especially the wild one, is often used as a symbol of courage and strength. Thus, the logos of the American football team St. Louis Rams and the Dodge Ram pickup truck refer to the bighorn sheep, a wild sheep common in North America.
Sheep are key symbols in many fables, children's songs (Mary Had a Little Lamb) and rhymes. In novels such as Animal Farm by George Orwell, Sheep Hunt by Haruki Murakami, Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, The Sheep That Changed the World by Neil Astley (referring to Dolly the Sheep), sheep appear as characters or plot devices. In poems ("Lamb" by William Blake) and songs ("Sheep" by Pink Floyd or Bach's aria "Sheep May Graze Safely" ( Schafe können sicher weiden)) the image of sheep is used as a metaphor.
The 2007 New Zealand film Black Sheep ironically reimagines the traditional idea of sheep as timid and defenseless creatures when, in the story, sheep become bloodthirsty killers as a result of a genetic experiment.
The mischievous, smart and enterprising Shaun the Sheep has become a popular character in the animated series of the same name; later he was joined by Timmy the sheep - originally one of the characters in the mentioned animated series, who then became the hero of his own epic.
Sheep Barash is one of the heroes of the animated series “Smeshariki”.
Sheep are also mentioned in many sayings and idioms. Thus, in many European languages, the idiom “black sheep” is a partial analogue of the Russian expressions “white crow” and “black sheep”. The famous phrase “let's return to our sheep” (“revenons à nos moutons”) calls for a return to the main topic of the proceedings. But the famous saying “staring like a ram at a new gate” does not refer to an animal at all: even in ancient times, the Assyrians and then the Romans, storming enemy cities and fortresses, smashed the gates with a heavy log with a metal knob in the shape of a ram’s head. Thus, a ram staring at the new gate meant that the troops were ready for an assault and the citadel would inevitably fall
Counting sheep is popularly used as a way to fall asleep faster due to its monotony.
The proverb “A sheep hired to herd wolves - by the evening only a tuft of wool remained” characterizes a person who has taken on a dangerous and unbearable task.
In religion and folklore
In ancient times, sheep as a symbol were used in many religions of the Near and Middle East and the Mediterranean, in particular in the religions of Ancient Egypt, Phenicia, Catal Huyuk, Judaism, ancient Greek religion and mythology and some others. Religious symbolism and rituals involving sheep were already used in the first religions known to us. Ram skulls (along with bull skulls) were central to the temples of the settlement of Çatalhöyük in 8000 BC. e. In Ancient Egypt, the ram was a symbol of several gods: Khnum, Kherishef and Amun (in the guise of the god of fertility). Deities such as Ishtar, the Phoenician god Baal-Hamun, and the Babylonian god Ea were sometimes depicted with various attributes of rams. In Madagascar and in our time, sheep are not eaten, as it is believed that the souls of ancestors are embodied in them.
There are many references to sheep in ancient Greek mythology: for example, the myth of Kria, the ram with the golden fleece, is still known today. In Aries astrology, the ram is the first sign of the classical Greek zodiac; it correlates with the planet Mars. In Ancient Rome, the ram was an attribute of the god Mercury, the patron saint of flocks. Also, the sheep is the eighth of twelve animals associated with the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, based on the Chinese calendar. In the countries of Central Asia, Mongolia and some other countries, asychkas, the coffin bones of sheep, have been used since ancient times for games, fortune telling and as part of national musical instruments.
Sheep play an important role in all Abrahamic religions: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, King David and the Prophet Muhammad were all shepherds. In the biblical account of the sacrifice of Isaac, a ram was sacrificed as a replacement after an angel stopped Abraham's hand. In the Islamic tradition, Abraham (Ibrahim) was about to sacrifice Ismail: in memory of this, sheep (or other animals) are sacrificed during Eid al-Adha, the main Muslim holiday. In Islamic culture, sheep are sometimes sacrificed in honor of important social events. Sheep were regularly used as sacrificial animals in the religious practices of the Greeks and Romans. [ ], in Judaism, sheep were also sacrificed (Passover lamb). Symbols associated with sheep, such as the shofar ritual horn, are also present in modern Jewish practices. In Christianity, Jesus Christ is symbolically depicted as the Good Shepherd, sheep - a necessary [ ] element of the iconography of the Nativity of Christ. Some Christian saints patronize shepherds, and some protect the sheep themselves. Christ is also depicted as the sacrificial Lamb of God ( Agnus Dei), and at the celebration of Easter in Greece and Romania the Passover lamb is traditionally eaten [ ] . In many Christian denominations, the head of the church is called a pastor, which is derived from the Latin word meaning "shepherd".
Illustrations
See also
Notes
- Faostat
- Sheep // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969-1978.
- Merpert N. Ya., Munchaev R. M., Early agricultural settlements of Northern Mesopotamia // Soviet Archeology, 1971, No. 3.
- Reavill, C. 2000. Ovis aries Animal Diversity Web
- 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
- Simmons, Paula; Carol Ekarius (2001). Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-58017-262-2
- Melinda J. Burrill Ph.D. Professor Coordinator of Graduate Studies, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, California State Polytechnic University (2004). "Sheep." World Book. Mackiev.
- Kravchuk P. A. Records of nature. - L.: Erudite, 1993. - 216 p. - 60,000 copies. - ISBN 5-7707-2044-1.
- Idaho Falls District 91 “Skull Structure of the Domestic Sheep” Read 2007-12-11
- N.I.Polyantsev, A.I.Afanasyev. Obstetrics, gynecology and biotechnology of animal reproduction. - St. Petersburg. : Lan, 2012. - 400 p.
- Smith M.S., Barbara; Mark Aseltine PhD, Gerald Kennedy DVM (1997). Beginning Shepherd's Manual, Second Edition. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.