One is a sheep. Two or more are sheep. There is no such thing as sheeps.
Sheep eat grass, hay, clover, weeds, and grain. When sheep are allowed to forage in a pasture, they will eat the weeds first and prefer the young and tender shoots. Pregnant ewes or ewes with lambs and growing lambs require additional nutrients and are fed grains such as corn, wheat, barley and oats.Because they love to eat grain, they will over eat and make themselves sick. Shepherds (those who tend sheep) must take caution to not over feed their sheep. When allowed to graze in a pasture, sheep will spend up to seven hours a day eating.
Sheep can live between 10 and 20 years. Typically they live 6 to 13 years. The breed, size, nutrition and the farmer's intent determine the lifespan.
After breeding, a ewe will "lamb" or give birth in five months, or approximately 150 days, but individual pregnancies may vary from 138 to 159 days. Most ewes will be ready for breeding when they are between the ages of 5 and 12 months, with breed, size and nutrition affecting the onset of puberty. A first time mother will generally have a single baby. After that, twins are more common. Some ewes, when between the ages of 3 and 6 years, can give birth to "litters" of lambs consisting of four, five or even six lambs.
Farmers and shepherds use sheep for wool, meat, milk and other products. Like pigs, humans use every part of the sheep. The horns, hooves and bones are rich in keratin and collagen and are used to make products like adhesive tape, marshmallows, piano keys and gelatin desserts like ice cream, yogurt and jello.Instrument strings and suture material are made from the intestines and sheep fat and fatty acids are transformed into a number of items. Included in the assorted list of products are crayons, candles, floor wax, cosmetics, tanning lotion, and shaving cream. Sheep are essential to the great American past-time of baseball. The ball is stuffed with wool and sewn together with wool thread.The rubber lining is made from stearic acid and the cork center contains processed blood. Besides wool socks and mittens, wool is also used to make lanolin, artist brushes, insulation and rug pads.
Red Barn Farm has homed Southdown sheep. This medium to small breed of sheep is originally from Sussex, England. It is polled (hornless) with a gray to mouse-brown face and lower legs. A Southdown ram can weigh as much as 230 pounds, but Red Barn Farm prefers to house the slightly smaller ewe which weigh up to 180 pounds.
