Day 2 of ozzies girl being off line: And ozzie is starting to have with withdrawal symptoms.

Bump ozzie needs more entertainment. LOL Quote

Regional official arrested for wild sheep poaching
31 Mar, 06:25 PM

Illegal hunting of mountain wild sheep whose world population numbers only two hundred continues in South-Central Siberia.

Another row caused by barbaric extermination of the Red List species broke out in the Altai Republic in South-Central Siberia, the Russian website Life.ru reports.

A carcass of the arkhar, a wild mountain sheep on the brink of extinction listed in the IUCNN (International Union for the conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List was discovered in the car of a top official from the republican tax inspection agency.

The arkhar is a giant among sheep, weighing in at 200 kilograms and with horns that can spread two meters.

Earlier, on January 9, 2009, arkhar poaching from helicopter MI-171 caused a death toll of seven men, including a plenipotentiary representative of the Russian President in the State Duma, Aleksandr Kosopkin. The police investigation revealed that the 28 arkhars killed during the shooting party make up about 15 per cent of the Red List world breeding population.

A new scandalous incident shocked all environmentally concerned citizens and ecologists.

The arkhar�s carcass was discovered when the foreign-made car belonging to the 32-year old Sergey Petrushev, department head of the Altai Republic State Tax Inspection Agency, was stopped by the Onguday District road police for a routine check-up. The official told the police that he had bought the meat from hunters but was unable to account for three hunter rifles also found in his car, Chairman of the republican spiritual center Akay Kynyev is quoted by Life.ru as saying.



We know WHERE Ozzie was at Quote

Sheep Poems :


Beasts in The Mist
They gather in the full moon's light
On lonely roads at dead of night
With shining eyes that pierce the mists
They prey on passing motorists

Sure footed over rock and crag
A victim fresh to feast they drag
And all that�s left when feeding's through
Is a baseball cap and a training shoe

No wolf or hound will prowl the moors
And ghosts and ghouls stay home indoors
So when shrill screams disturb your sleep
Beware the Cumberland killer sheep








Charlie's Patch
Charlie and Fred had been shearing sheep, till the shed cut out last week,
So they stopped at the pub for a beer or two,
You know how it goes, oh I'm sure you do,
Though you sit there looking puzzled and pure and oh so flamin' meek.

Well the day wore on towards evening, and the beer was flowing well,
until Charlie thought they'd hit the road,
So they paid the publican what they owed,
And made for the car parked down the street, out in front of the Shell.

Fred had a couple of stubbies in hand, as they climbed into the car,
And he screwed off the caps as they drove along,
Amusing himself with a country song ,
For he fancied himself, this shearer bloke, as a country and western star.

He handed a stubby to Charlie of course, for they were true-blue mates,
And they got along well, on the shearing round,
And enjoyed themselves, as they both unwound,
for they travelled the homesteads up and down Australia's eastern states.

Then Charlie pointed up ahead, where there stood a copper in blue,
And he knew they were in for trouble of course
For he'd heard it straight from the mouth of a horse
That a team from the city had come along to see what it could do.

They had pledged themselves to halt the flood of drink-driving thereabout,
And the word had spread they were hard as nails
And were throwing the drinkers into the jails
Where the sentences were growing long before the offenders got out.

Well, Charlie began to panic a bit, for he needed the car for work.
And he knew very well if he went to jail|
His marriage was sure to falter and fail,
So he pulled off the road and slumped down low, feeling a bit of a berk.

But Fred had the answer, no flies on Fred, he had a brain, that's true.
And the label he pulled off (from his beer),
And said "Look, Charlie, just stick it here.
No hang on, mate, turn yourself round here, I'll stick it on for you.

Charlie was puzzled but Fred was sure, so Charlie did what he said,
And the pair drove on with foreheads bedecked,
With Fourex labels, with beer all flecked
Till they reached the spot that had caused the driver so much fear and dread.

The policemen came and looked into the car, and one quick breath did snatch
"You haven't been drinking, men," one uttered
and the other one stood there and muttered,
but Fred said, "Never, for can't you see, we're both of us on the patch."

He indicated the label stuck to the skin up above his eyes,
And Charlie nodded his head and smiled
As he thought how the cops had been beguiled
While Fred sat back complacently, believing he had been wise.

The sergeant dressed in blue gave a grunt, and brought out a plastic bag.
On St Patricks' Day, 'twas a fitting scene
As the crystals inside turned bright green,
Which made our shearers grimace and groan and back on their haunches sag.

"I thought these patches were foolproof sir," said Fred as they paid their bail.
"My brother had one for smoking you see,
so I thought the same would apply to me,
And would work to keep me sober and free instead of going to jail.

And now when these shearing pals appear, to try out a low-strength batch,
The men at the bar shout :"Hey you two,
How come you're drinking that feeble brew?
We heard it on good authority that you were both on the patch!"










This morning I saw a couple holding hands.
Their hands fit together
in a way that�s not unlike
a gathering of sheep,
a warm, tight huddle.

A gathering of sheep,
from above,
is not unlike
the mold that forms
on the rim
of my toilet.



It started when I was in high school.

It was a sheep with a black muzzle,
clouded by little bits of white fur,
like an unshaved teenager,
innocent and awkward,
but somehow deserving of every beating
it would ever receive.

I don�t know how or why,
but it took me somewhere
outside of myself,
like I could somehow
turn the tables,
though I�m not sure
what it means to turn the tables.
You can turn a table
and still be sitting in the same place.



Hurting a sheep is like listening to folk songs.
It will always calm you
and give you a better understanding
of what is a sheep
and what is a rock
and what is a fist
and what is that red spot

Hurting a sheep is not like peeling an orange.
It is cracking the orange in half,
eating it from the inside
and moving out.
It is biking without a helmet.



The reason I don�t fuck with goats
is that goats fight back.



I�ve never seen sheep-skin condoms,
but I would probably buy a pack if I did.
I want to feel like I�m pounding
the sheep
even when it�s not the sheep that I�m pounding.

I�d imagine you�d have to special order the condoms,
from Greece or Albania,
where I hear that bestiality shit flies.

I wouldn�t tell whoever it is
that I am making love to
that we�re using a sheep-skin condom.

I don�t want my lover
to think that I have expensive tastes.
I�m as humble as the next man.



I wear wool,
but not from a sheep.
The most premium wool comes from alpaca.
Warmer than sheep's wool
and lighter in weight,
alpaca is the top choice
for sweater manufacturers.

Rich people use alpaca wool
to wipe their asses.



I lost my saw last year.
I left it in the front leg of a sheep.
A gang of sheep wranglers
caught me and nearly
beat me to death.
They left me
next to the dying animal,
our blood mixing,
blades of grass
coated with the brackish mixture,
the pitiful bleating
as our lives intertwined.



I cut a sheep in half,
set each side in concrete
like a mounted fish.
The sheep�s two sides
stared at each other.
I submitted the piece
to the local art museum.
I called it �Dolly.�

It was an anonymous piece.
I found it in the dumpster,
after the show,
under six layers
of cardboard.



When I lead a flock of sheep,
into the back
of my brother�s moving truck
and into the wood chipper
from Rent Way,
I feel like Jesus.

They will follow me
to their complete and utter
destruction.

They will not
mistake passion for prophecy,
or prophecy for passion.

They will pay for their own sins,
which are too many to number.

I will paint
the walls of that van
a dark red,
- painting the walls red
being a typical
and overused
expression denoting violence.
But in my case
it�s quite literal.

My brother cannot scrub
the images from the walls
of his small moving truck.
These are images
of an improvised cuneiform
prophesying the coming of our true Lord
in a monkey suit.

My brother is the only one who knows
what any of this means.



I am throwing artichokes at a sheep.
The sheep is cringing at every throw.
The dampened thud against the fleece
is the greatest sound I�ve ever known.



I take a hard rock and crack it, gently,
against the skull of this creature.
It bleats in complaint, but can do nothing.

I rub it hard against the black scalp.
This is probably how they made leather,
in the days when everyone wore leather.

I feel so epic right now.



I can practically read your mind,
you who has found these poems.
Do you fuck sheep?
That�s what you would like to know.
No.
I don�t fuck sheep.
But I�ve thought about it,
just like the Earth has thought
about swallowing us all whole
for the last four and a half billion years.

Have you ever seen a picture of
the earth from outer space
on a cloudy day in February?

It looks like some gargantuan beast
fucked the blue hole
in the black body of this universe,
and his condom failed.



All of the shepherds disappeared
when the flow of the land disappeared,
which was right about the time
that everybody fenced off their land.

I like to watch my hand disappear
into the belly of a ram.
It�s a warm bath.
It�s your parents
reading to you
from the Old Testament,
when the world had only one deciding factor.



I once stole a vehicle.

I became tired of flattening sheep
with that Japanese truck,
wool stuck in the grill
like bread between bottom teeth.

I drove through the night
spreading sheep across the land
like mayonaisse.

When the night ended,
I was out of gas,
dead sheep everywhere.
It looked
like a preschool diorama of Antietam,
cotton balls representing the fallen men,
stuck to the earth with Elmer�s glue.

I ran off,
but I could hear the farmer
heading toward the massacre,
shooting at the newly-risen sun.



A pile of dead sheep
looks like a dirty snow drift
shoved aside by a mid-day plow.

I learned this from a picture
on a BBC news story.
Hundreds of sheep
killed by foot-and-mouth disease.
I want to be this disease.
I want to crawl into one hundred sheep
and destroy them from the inside-out.



There is an old joke
that we told when we were kids.

When you urinate on a sheep
you are going on the lamb.

Jokes like this are only truly funny in childhood,
as accessories to high voices
and broken-bodied G.I. Joes.

Now, when I think of the joke,
I laugh at the laughing
and our positions in the grass

and the kool-aid red of our mouths.

Food dye would carry us toward
our better years and better jokes.



I want to pile them so high
that they block your cellular reception.
I want them to be the tree at the side of the celestial road
that ends the next NASA space flight in total disaster.

I want four crosses floating through space.

I want to stuff them,
like socks into a messy drawer,
into the Grand Canyon until I can walk
from one side to the other.

I want my legs to sink into the drawer.

I want to build a mansion
out of sheep bones and hardened guts
with wool for carpeting and hooves for doorknobs
that open to rooms that make me say,

�Home sweet home.�
Hallelujah.



At the petting zoo,
my son is laughing at the
animal�s flat teeth.

He says they remind
him of Grandpa�s teeth,
stained by tobacco and coffee.

I am holding a
needle between my first and
second right fingers

and I am reaching
through curls to get to the skin
to write my name down.



A sheep has no true form.
It is four sticks in a ball of mud.
It is a dry cocoon.
It is unlit tinder.

A sheep sleeps with no trouble.
If you count them before bed,
your sleep will be a poem.
It is a poem about everything right with the world.
It is not much of a poem.





Quote

Bumpidy bump

more please Quote

good luck tomorrow/today Ozzie! Quote

scored 4 but dame they scored 4 as well.

Oh well now at least we can concentrate on toppling Man united in the leauge. Quote

I didn't know sheep played football. Quote

That was a great game. Unbelievable stuff. I thought for sure at 2-0 Liverpool were going on to win it. Then once it 2-3 Chelsea I thought it was game over when Torres went off. BUT THEN 4-3 Liverpool I couldn't believe it I really thought you guys might get the late winner again.... one of the best Champions League matchs I can remember.

Come on United tomorrow! We'll take 4-4 in Porto :D
Quote

Could be a good thing for Liverpool in the Leauge if Man United stay in the champions Leauge.
Will be an intresting game tomorrow morning not sure who i want to win yet.

Go Porto but then i hope Man United do well for you. Quote

Mich. farmer gets aww!-some shock in 5-lamb birth




Apr 14, 8:54 PM (ET)


VEVAY TOWNSHIP, Mich. - A Michigan farmer whose ewe gave birth to twins found himself carefully counting sheep when he later discovered three more lambs. The Lansing State Journal reported Tuesday that one of Paul Oesterle's Suffolk-mix ewes gave birth to quintuplets last week. Michigan State University sheep expert Alan Culham says the chance of that breed bearing the multiple litter is one in 10,000.

Oesterle, whose farm is southeast of Lansing, says he thought the ewe had given birth to twins but he found three more lambs when he checked the next day.

Oesterle says the ewe can't produce enough for all five babies so he has to help feed them every six hours.


I wonder if Ozzie will fly to Michigan to help Quote

I am guessing there is a verry happy Ryan out there some where.
i will say it was a cracking goal from ronaldo. But now i hope you guys lose in the leauge this weekend who do you play. Quote

Nice update to Soccor [Football]

HEY Ozzie - someone made it to the Forums and you have opportunity to answer her in :
I Went to the Shop Game

Quote

Ronaldo!! That was some strike.

United have an FA Cup game this weekend vrs Everton but then wednesday is at home vrs Portsmouth.

The league is going to be hard. Some tricky ones left still. Quote

Top 10 Sheep Stories of 2008
January 2, 2009 - As we move into the new year, it seems appropriate to review and reflect on the events from 2008. Although it is difficult to choose just 10 top sheep industry-related stories from last year, the following is our attempt to do so.

2008 Farm Bill Includes Sheep - Wide-reaching sheep programs were included in this Farm Bill including an increase in the wool loan deficiency payment loan rate from $1 to $1.15 beginning with the 2010 crop year; re-authorization of the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center with mandatory funding of $1 million; approval of interstate movement of state inspected lamb meat; the inclusion of a permanent disaster assistance program to provide timely assistance to livestock producers for losses incurred from natural disasters; approval to graze sheep for control of invasive species on conservation reserve program acres; and country-of-origin-labeling became mandatory.

Wool Trust Extended - In October, the American Sheep Industry Association's (ASI) Executive Director Peter Orwick reported that the U.S. Congress approved a five-year extension of the duty refunds, rebates and trust that comprise the wool fabric program. The legislation continues an industry agreement over a trade battle of the 1990s and includes the American Wool Trust, which ASI industry uses with domestic manufacturers for wool product development, market expansion and quality improvement.

Imports from Argentina Derailed - U.S. senators helped ASI prevent the importation of livestock from Argentina until the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) can certify that Argentina is free of foot-and-mouth disease. Early in the year, USDA had proposed to allow millions of pounds of Argentine lamb meat and sheep imports to the United States.

Sheep Study Released - The National Academy of Sciences released its study, "Changes in the Sheep Industry in the United States: Making the Transition from Tradition." The study will serve as a seminal document on the sheep industry for years to come. ASI secured the authorization and funding through Congress in 2006 to conduct the study.

Battle for Use of M-44s and 1080 - ASI continues to seek the final decision on the registration of sodium cyanide used in M-44s and Compound 1080 used in Livestock Protection Collars to keep these predator control methods available. Animal rights groups petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency over two years ago to halt the registration of these products.

Lamb Purchase Program - USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has purchased more than $1.1 million in lamb products as part of a $2 million program secured by ASI in the spring of 2008.

LRP-Lamb Success - The Livestock Risk Protection-Lamb insurance product concluded its first full year as a pilot program with sales of nearly 700,000 lambs covered under the program.

ALB Referendum Announced - USDA announced that the American Lamb Board referendum will be held Feb. 2-27, 2009. The rule under which the lamb checkoff was approved requires a vote three years after the implementation and again prior to the seven-year mark, which is 2009. The 2005 vote was approved with an 80 percent approval.

Mandatory Price Reporting Back - The U.S. Congress finally re-authorized the USDA Livestock Mandatory Reporting program, which became effect July 15. Prices are once again available from importers who refused to voluntarily submit information during the three-year lapse of statutory authority.

Grazing Rights Challenged - The bighorn sheep and domestic sheep disease conflict remains an issue. Lawsuits and policy changes have forced sheep from grazing allotments by citing, and drawing conclusions from, incomplete and sometimes flawed research and data.



Heaven Has Blue Carpet: A Sheep Story by a Suburban Housewife (Paperback)

A REAL Novel




True Stories


The Consultant Strikes Back

By Dean Costello
6 January 2002


My company strictly performs(?) consulting for the U.S. government. Here is a story I received from a friend of mine at the [unnamed U.S. governmental entity]:

Once upon a time there was a shepherd looking after his sheep on the edge of a deserted road. Suddenly a brand new Jeep Cherokee screeches to a halt next to him.

The driver, a young man dressed in a Brioni suit, Cerutti shoes, Ray-Ban glasses, Jovial Swiss wristwatch and a Bhs tie gets out and asks the shepherd: If I guess how many sheep you do have, will you give me one of them? The shepherd looks at the young man, then looks at the sheep which graze and says: All right.

The young man parks the car, connects the notebook and the mobile-fax, enters a NASA site, scans the ground using his GPS, opens a database and 60 excel tables filled with algorithms, then prints a 150-pages report on his high-tech mini-printer. He turns to the shepherd and says: You have exactly 1586 sheep here. The shepherd answers: That's correct, you can have your sheep.

The young man takes the sheep and puts in the back of his jeep. The shepherd looks at him and asks: If I guess your profession, will you return my sheep to me? The young man answers: Yes, why not.

The shepherd says: You are a consultant.

How did you know? asks the young man.

Very simple, answers the shepherd: First you come here without being called. Second, you charge me fees to tell something I already knew. Third, you do not understand any thing about my business or what I do, and because you took my dog.

The following is my response to my friend at the EPA.

Several notes before we get onto the actual story:

1). FTE is "Full-Time Equivalents", i.e. people who can be assigned to a specific task full-time. Example: "I need someone to finish this guidance document; it'll take about 3 FTE." This is not to be confused with LOE, Level of Effort, which describes how many man-hours will be required to finish a project. Example: "I need someone to finish this guidance document; it will take about 19,000 LOE."

2). My manager is female, which is why I described the project manager as a fore(wo)man. Which I guess is obvious, in retrospect.

3). Slavemasters are the contract managers at the specific agency or department we are contracted to. To paraphrase, there is much opportunity for mischief when it comes to dealing with contractors.

4). The rest of the metaphors are ham-fisted enough to be obvious to most middle managers.

5). This tends to pretty accurately describe the process of negotiating work assignments with the [unnamed U.S. governmental entity]. I hear often about 300% cost overruns with large projects, but I'll be damned if it's ever happened to us. We get dinged on our monthly invoices if there (in their opinion) are too many phone calls to the clients.


The Consultant Strikes Back

Once upon a time there was a shepherd looking after his sheep on the edge of a deserted road.

He says to himself, "My sheep are dirty. If they weren't dirty, their wool would be more valuable." So, he asks his Section Chief at the Sheep Protection Agency (SPA) how he can make his sheep less dirty.

The Section Chief says, "I dunno. We don't have enough FTE to do that anyway. Get one of the slavemasters to get someone to take care of it."

So he calls one of the slavemasters and says, "My sheep are dirty. I need them undirty," and the slavemaster replies, "I've got just the right group of slave to do it, but because they might have forgotten the key skills required to undirty sheep since they were last tasked to work on sheep three weeks ago, they have to prove themselves one more time that they can take care of the sheep, but must do it in less time than before or else they will be flogged."

Now the shepherd says that he really doesn't care that they may get the job done a bit faster, just that it gets done soon for about 20 minutes per sheep, but the slavemaster will hear none of that.

So, the slavemaster goes to the slave's fore(wo)man and says, "We've got this job to work on undirtying sheep. You want it?"

The fore(wo)man replies, "Of course! Look at all the slaves working for me!" The slavemaster asks how long it will take to clean the sheep, and the fore(wo)man says, "Oh, we did it last time for about 15 minutes/sheep, so I think that that would be about right."

In a fury, the slavemaster yells, "NO! You must do it in...uhhh...5 minutes per sheep!"

The fore(wo)man replies, "Ohhhh. We'll need to get back to you about this, since this is way below what we can normally and effectively do."

After a couple of days, the fore(wo)man says to the slavemaster, "I talked with my supervisors, and we might be able to do it for 12 minutes/sheep, but that is really cutting into the effectiveness of the sheep processing."

This time, in a righteous fury, the slavemaster replies, "Slave! You will do it in 5 minutes, or you and all of your people will be flogged!" The fore(wo)man whimpers, lies prostrate on the dirt floor in front of the slavemaster, begs forgiveness, and promises to remove the dirt from the sheep in the best possible way manageable, full well knowing that 5 minutes per sheep is ludicrous, at best.

Soon thereafter, the fore(wo)man approaches the shepherd and says, "Oh shepherd, I represent a group of slaves who have been tasked by your slavemaster to take care of your sheep. Now, what precisely do you want us to do?"

The shepherd, annoyed since it has taken so long to get the slaves onboard says, "I want the dirt out of them. Pronto."

"Out of the wool?"

"Yes."

"So, you want us to clean them?"

"No, I want you to get the dirt out of their wool so I can sell the wood at a higher price."

"Ummm, so you want us to clean them?"

"No, foolish slaves! I want you to get the dirt out!"

The fore(wo)man's assistant nudges her with an elbow and says, "Okay, so you want us to get the dirt out of the wool, but you don't want us to clean the wool. Right?"

"Precisely. You are particularly thick-headed slaves, aren't you?"

"Uhh, yes. You are correct, sir," and the slaves return to their enclosure to build new slave quarters near to the shepherds sheep pens (which was a requirement for getting the job), train their colleagues in working with sheep (even though they just finished a sheep job a few weeks ago the SPA demanded that the slaves be retrained), and get some cleaning supplies (which they had to order from an SPA-approved vendor).

They arrive the next week to start working on the sheep. The shepherd is puzzled and asks why they are there. The slaves look at each other puzzled, and the fore(wo)man says, "To clean..." the assistant nudges her again, "No, to remove the dirt from the sheep?"

The shepherd stares off in the distance for a bit, and after some scraping of feet and exchanging of glances amongst the slaves, says, "Oh yeah, sheep. Okay, wait here while I call them in," and he wanders off.

The slaves squat down to wait for the shepherd. The next morning, the shepherd arrives at the sheep pens and finds the slaves still squatting in the dirt waiting for him. "Oh look at you, why are you here?"

The fore(wo)man replies, "We were waiting for you to return with the sheep, oh shepherd."

The shepherd stares at the fore(wo)man for a few moments with a blank look of incomprehension, and with a start replies, "Oh yeah, that's right. Sheep. Hang on a bit," and wanders off again.

Later that afternoon, 20 sheep arrive with the shepherd, and the slaves start to work. They finish the 20 sheep in about 90 minutes, slightly ahead of schedule so they wouldn't get flogged and maybe even get a fig or pomegranate each for finishing faster than expected.

The fore(wo)man reports to the shepherd, "Well, we we're finished. We were able to finish up faster since the slavemaster promised us 1586 sheep to do, but you gave us 20, so we ended up bringing way too many slaves out here to the job. Can we get our figs now?"

"I can't give you the figs for getting done faster since I noticed that you were cleaning the sheep, as opposed to getting the dirt out of them. I won't have you flogged, but I won't authorize any figs."

The forewoman sighs and says, "Whatever. When will the rest of the sheep be here?"

The shepherd says, "Why are you asking me this; there are no other sheep."

The fore(wo)man is confused and asks, "The slavemaster told us to expect 1586 sheep. Why did you only bring 20 sheep out here?"

The shepherd replies, "Well, I figured that there would be a maximum of 1586 sheep, but we really didn't expect much more than a couple dozen."

In exasperation, the fore(wo)man yelled, "Then why didn't you tell us there would only be a couple of dozen, so that we wouldn't have to go through the trouble of building slave quarters out here, or training the slaves, or ordering the speciality get-the-dirt-out-of-the-wool compounds from vendors that only you will approve?" "Because if we didn't," the shepherd replied in a hurt tone, "You wouldn't have bid on the job."




Sharing with one another
Once upon a time, there were two sheep. One was a small sheep ... so small (separate hands to show size). It has a soft voice ... baa! The other was a big sheep ... so big (stretch arms to show size). It has a loud voice ... BAA! The two sheep are brothers.

Every day, Big Sheep and Small Sheep would go out to the fields to play together and to look for grass to eat. One morning, as always, the two sheep went out. Big Sheep and Small Sheep gambolled out to the fields to look for grass to eat ... (Get the children to gambol together "to the fields.") Now it has not been raining for many days and most of the grass had dried up.

Big Sheep and Small Sheep gambolled for a long time but they could not find any green grass to eat. They were getting tired. Their feet were tired and they could no longer gambol. So they walked ... (Get the children to drag their feet on the ground.) Big Sheep and Small Sheep walked and walked from morning until afternoon but there were no green grass. As far as they could see all the green grass had become brown.

The sun was getting hotter. Big Sheep and Small Sheep were tired, hungry and thirsty ... (Get the children to stick out their tongues and pant.) But Big Sheep and Small Sheep continued walking and soon they came to a river. They lowered their heads and lapped up some water with their tongue ... (demonstrate how this is done).

When Big Sheep lifted his head, he saw a small green patch under a tree. He gambolled over to the tree. It was a patch of green grass. "BAA, BAA!" he shouted to Small Sheep to come over. Both Big Sheep and Small Sheep were very excited. But the small patch of grass was a very small patch ... it was just enough for one sheep. What should they do? (Pause) Who should eat the small batch of green grass? (Pause) "BAA, BAA! Go ahead and eat it. I am not very hungry" said Big Sheep and he began to move away. "Baa! Let us share the green grass" said Small Sheep. So Big Sheep and Small Sheep shared the small patch of small grass. They were very happy and they gambolled all the way home ... (Get the children to hold hands and gambol "all the way home.")

Big Sheep found the green grass and he could have eaten the grass all by himself. But Big Sheep was generous to let Small Sheep eat the small patch of green grass. Small Sheep was also sharing ... he shared the green grass with Big Sheep. Small Sheep loves Big Sheep and Big Sheep loves Small Sheep.

United we stand
As they were gambolling home, a big bad wolf was following them. The big bad wolf had not eaten for many days and he was very hungry. He wants to eat both Big Sheep and Small Sheep.

Suddenly, he pounced on both Big Sheep and Small Sheep and started to attack them with his sharp claws. "Run!" shouted Big Sheep to Small Sheep. Small Sheep ran as fast as he could while Big Sheep tried to knock the big bad wolf with his head. But the big bad wolf was too strong for Big Sheep.

Small Sheep ran back to Big Sheep and now both Big Sheep and Small Sheep tried to knock the big bad wolf with their heads. Two sheep were attacking the big bad wolf at the same time and from different directions. Small Sheep attacked on the left and Big Sheep attacked on the right. (Hold up a big pillow against your chest and have the children take turns to butt their heads against the pillow.)

Together Big Sheep and Small Sheep were stronger than the big bad wolf. So the big bad wolf .... all the way home.

Big Sheep and Small Sheep took care of each other. Big Sheep tried to protect Small Sheep from the big bad wolf. But when the big bad wolf proved too strong for Big Sheep, Small Sheep returned to help. United Big Sheep and Small Sheep were strong.


Our Protector
The big bad wolf went and called his other wolf friends to help. So a whole pack of three wolves came and pounced upon Big Sheep and Small Sheep. Big Sheep and Small Sheep tried to fight with the wolves but there were too many of them. "Run and get help" shouted Big Sheep to Small Sheep. Small Sheep ran toward home as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, the Shepherd heard the noises. When he saw Small Sheep running back alone without Big Sheep, he knew something was wrong. He picked up his rod and ran towards Small Sheep. He saw the three wolves attacking Big Sheep. He used his rod to hit the wolves and chased them away.

Both Big Sheep and Small Sheep were hurt. The Shepherd picked up Big Sheep and lifted him up to his shoulders then he carried Small Sheep in his arms. He brought them home and put medicine on their wounds. The Shepherd took good care of Big Sheep and Small Sheep.

Whenever Big Sheep and Small Sheep have troubles, the Shepherd is always there to help them. Jesus is our Shepherd and He will always take care of us.






Sheep Herder's Lawsuit


A sheep herder from Montana fell afoul of the law and hired a lawyer to get him off if he could. The lawyer realized that it was an open and shut case, and advised the sheep herder to pretend that he had a bit of Sheep Herder's Complaint.

Sheep Herder's Complaint strikes the average man who is surrounded by the ever present baa-ing of sheep every day, week after week, year after year. Soon, the sheep herder's vowel sounds all begin to sound like the bleating of a sheep.

When this particular sheep herder had his day in court, he followed his lawyer's advice and answered every question with a mournful bleat like a sheep. The judge finally threw the case out, concluding that the sheep herder was incompetent and a complete numbskull from his constant contact with his flock.

Outside in the hallway, his lawyer congratulated him on winning the case, and said: "Now, how about my fee?"

"Baa" replied the sheep herder and left the courthouse.








Hunting Stories and Pictures



I'm happy to report I used my BULL-PAC frame during a Dall's Sheep hunt in Alaska this August. A buddy and I hiked 17.5 trail-less miles across mountain tundra where we then set up a humble camp that was really nothing more than a small nylon backpack tent. On our first night in camp we saw a sow grizzly and her cub, just one drainage over, and also watched as a pair of wolves----one black/one white----came right into our camp (I video taped most of this).
On opening day, I walked alone (my partner's knee was injured) to the 22 mile mark where I killed a very nice Fannin Ram at 11:30 a.m. After boning the meat, camping the face, and preparing the horns, I loaded everything onto my pack frame. It was indeed a heavy load and the first real test of my frame. It took me 3.5 hrs to cover the four-plus miles back to camp in a rain storm. After three days of wind, fog, and rain which pinned us down inside our tent, we finally
began packing out. Due to my partner's bum knee, I carried all the boned meat, the horns and skull, plus all my personal gear. Though I never weighed my pack, I estimate it was between 95-100 lbs, a heavy load indeed. Despite the fact we had to top a 5600-ft peak with heavy winds and blowing snow, we covered the 17.5 miles in two very long days.

It was no easy pack out but I can tell you I was very satisfied with my frame. For what it's worth, I took a nylon packsack from one of my old packs and attached it to the bull-pac frame. That worked quite well for the entire trip. I especially liked the generous number of tie-down hooks along the frame. This enabled me to configure my load in various ways for the long trip out. For example on the second day, I adjusted my load higher on the frame thereby shifting the burden to other muscle groups.

As an Air Force Survival Instructor, I have spent many years backpacking with students while teaching survival, and also recreationally while hunting. On a remote hunt such as this
year's sheep hunt, I never doubted my packs structural integrity---I had complete confidence in it compared to the flimsy by comparison tube style pack frames I've used in the past. Next year, my wife and I will have a taxidermy display booth at the Fairbanks Outdoor Show in April; I am tentatively planning on teaching a backpack hunting seminar. I will highly recommend your frames. I take it you can ship to Alaska no problem? Anyway, thanks again. I'll attach a few pictures





Sheep Fries




There was once a sheep farmer who needed help with the difficult task of castrating some of his inferior male sheep to keep them from breeding with the females.

He hired a French guy who didn't speak much English, but was a very good worker. After the first day, they had successfully castrated 14 sheep and his French worker was just about to throw away the "parts", but the sheep farmer yelled, "No! Don't throw those away! My wife fries them up and we eat them. They're delicious and we call them 'sheep fries'."

Later that day, the French hired hand came in for supper, and indeed the 'sheep fries' were tasty. The next day, they castrated 16 sheep, and the following evening they all settled down to another supper of 'sheep fries'.

The third day, however, when the sheep farmer came home, he asked his wife where the French hired hand was, and she said, "You know, it's the weirdest thing! I told him since there weren't very many 'sheep fries' this evening, we were also going to have French fries, and he ran like hell!!"





Ozzie wanted more Quote

Ozzie needs more jokes and fun storys again he has read it all and i still has 4 days before my babe is back.

Help me last the last 4 days please. Quote

Average life expectancy is 10-12.

Life expectancy
Typically, the life expectancy of animals increases with size. For example, cows usually live longer than sheep. The life expectancy of sheep is similar to dogs, somewhere between 10 and 20 years. The average is about 10 to 12 years. However, the length of a sheep's productive life tends to be much less. This is because a ewe's productivity usually peaks between 3 and 6 years of age and usually begins to decline after age 7. As a result, most ewes are removed from the flock before they are 10 years old. In harsh environments, ewes are usually culled at a younger age because once their teeth start breaking down, it is difficult for them to maintain their body condition. It is possible fo ewes to be productive past 10 years of age, if they are well fed and managed and stay healthy.






You can approximate the age of
a sheep by looking at its teeth.
The approximate age of sheep can be determined by the teeth, as illustrated above. At birth, lambs have eight milk teeth, or temporary incisors, arranged in four pairs on the lower jaw. The central pair of temporary incisor teeth is shed and replaced by the permanent teeth at approximately 1 year of age. At 2 years, the second pair of milk teeth is replaced by a pair of permanent incisors. At 3 and 4 years, the third and fourth pairs of permanent teeth appear. At 4 years of age the sheep has a "full mouth." When a ewe loses some of her incisor teeth, she is called a "broken mouth." When she loses all of her teeth she is called a "gummer."

A sheep's normal body
temperature is 102 to 103�F Vital Signs

A sheep's vital signs can help determine whether it is sick.

Vital signs Range
Body Temperature 102-103�F
Heart rate 60-90 per minute
Respiration rate 12-20 per minute

Heart and respiration rates are faster in lambs than sheep. You can also listen to the sounds of the sheep's rumen (using a stethoscope) to find out how it is doing. Rumen sounds or movement should occur one to two times per minute.



"Cast" Sheep

A sheep that has rolled over on its back is called a "cast" sheep. It may not be able to get up. It happens mostly with short, stocky sheep with heavy fleeces on flat terrain. Heavily pregnant ewes are most prone. Cast sheep become distressed and can die within a short time if not rolled back into a normal position. When back on their feet they may need to be supported for a few minutes before release to ensure they are steady.



A cast sheep can die.

. . New Words . .
Body temperature - heat of body measured in degrees; usually measured to obtain a quick evaluation of an animal's health.

Cull - remove from the flock.

Heart rate - the number of times the heart beats in one minute.

Incisor - any of the four front teeth in either the upper or lower jaw.

Life expectancy - the number of years an indivdual is expected to live based on statistics.

Milk teeth - baby teeth or first teeth.

Respiration rate - the number of breaths an animal makes per minute.

Stethoscope - the instrument used to listen to the heart and other sounds in the body.

Taxonomy - the science of classifying plants and animals into groups with similar features.

Vital signs - physical signs that indicate an individual is alive, such as heart beat, breathing rate, and temperature.


Look at Their Tails

The easiest way to tell the difference between a sheep and a goat is to look at their tails. A goat's tail will go up (unless the goat is frightened, sick, or in distress). Sheep tails hang down and are often docked (cut off) for health and sanitary reasons.



Goat tails go up.
Sheep tails hang down.

Grazing vs. Browsing

One of the biggest differences between sheep and goats is their feeding behavior and diet selection. Goats are natural browsers, preferring to eat leaves, twigs, vines, and shrubs. They are very agile and will stand on their hind legs to eat vegetation. Sheep are grazers, preferring to eat short, tender grass and clover. They like weeds and can graze very close to the soil surface.




Browsers



Grazers



Who's Smarter?

Sheep and goats behave quite differently. People often say that goats are "smart" because they are very curious and inquisitive. They are more independent than sheep, who are usualy aloof to people. People often say that sheep are "stupid" because of their strong "flock mentality." A sheep will become very agitated if it is separated from the rest of the flock. However, it is this flocking behavior that provides their best defense against predators. Neither species is smart or stupid. They are just characterized by different types of behavior that enhances their survival in the wild.





Independent


Flock mentality
Click HERE to learn more differences
between sheep and goats.


. . New Words . .

Genus - a group of closely related species.

Species - a group of organisms which are capable of interbreeding to produce viable offspring.

Chimera - an animal formed from two different animals, that is from two different embryonic sources.

Chromosomes - a structure in the nucleus of cells which contains genes (genetic material).


Hybrid - the offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera.


Grazer - an animal that eats grasses and other ground-growing non-woody plants.

Browser - an animal that eats highly nutritious twigs and shrubs.



Sheep are over one year of age. They have usually produced offspring. Lambs are less than one year of age. They have usually not produced offspring. Lamb is also the term for the flesh of a young domestic sheep eaten as food.




Ewe


Lambing

A mature female sheep is called a ewe. Yoe is a slang term for ewe. A young female is called a ewe lamb. The process of giving birth to lambs is called lambing.



Ram


Wether

A mature male sheep is called a ram or buck. A young male is called a ram lamb. In parts of the United Kingdom, a ram is called a tup and the mating season is called tupping. A castrated (neutered) male sheep is called a wether. Wethers are less aggressive than rams. George is a wether.




Yearling



Flock


A yearling is an animal between 1 and 2 years of age that may or may not have produced offspring. In other countries, a yearling ewe is called a hogget, shearling, gimmer, theave, or teg. A group of sheep is called a flock. Larger groups of sheep are called bands or mobs.




In two shakes of a lamb's tail

Almost all lambs are born with tails. The length of a lamb's tail is intermediate between the length of its mother (dam) and father's (sire) tail. Tail length is highly affected by genetics (84 percent of differences).


Crossbred Southdown lamb

Katahdin lamb

The purpose of a sheep's tail is to protect the anus, vulva, and udder from weather extremes. Sheep lift their tail when they defecate and use their tail, to some extent, to scatter their feces.



Katahdin ewe and lambs


Persian Blackhead Ewe


Under modern sheep production systems, tails are usually docked (removed) to prevent fecal material from collecting on the tail and hindquarters of the sheep, which can result in fly strike. Tail docking also makes it easier to shear the sheep. The tail does not interfere with breeding.



Bluefaced Leicester Ewe Lamb

Lincoln show flock


There are different methods that can be used to dock lambs' tails. It is recommended that lambs be docked at a young age to minimize the stress and pain experienced by the lamb. The dock (tail) should be left long enough to cover the ewe's vulva and an equivalent length on a male lamb.



Click HERE to learn more about tails.


. . New Words . .

Dock - remove or shorten the tail of an animal (verb). A short or shortened tail of certain animals (noun).

Flystrike - when flies lay eggs which hatch into maggots and attack the flesh.

Udder - the glandular organ (of sheep, cows, and goats) in which milk is secreted and stored.

Vulva - external parts of the female genitalia (sexual organs).

Anus - the opening through which solid waste leaves the body.




Follow the Leader


Wait For Me

Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the leader. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good decision. For example, if the lead sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock.


Crossbred Katahdin Lambs




Icelandic Leadersheep

Photo courtesy of Lavender Fleece
Leadersheep

There is a certain strain of sheep in Iceland known as leadersheep. Leadersheep are highly intelligent animals that have the ability and instinct to lead a flock home during difficult conditions. They have an exceptional ability to sense danger. There are many stories in Iceland of leadersheep saving many lives during the fall roundups when blizzards threatened shepherds and flocks alike.

Click HERE to learn more about leadersheep.



Safety in Numbers

Sheep are gregarious. They will stay together in a group when grazing. A sheep will become agitated if it is separated from the group. It is banding togther in large groups that protects sheep from predators because predators will go after the outliers in the flock.




Montana Range Flock


Sheep are social

Sheep are a very social animal. Animal behaviorists have pointed out that sheep require the presence of at least 4 or 5 sheep which, when grazing maintain a visual link to each other.


Katahdin Sheep



Merino Flock


Flocking Together

Flocking instinct is strongest in the fine-wool breeds, but exists in all sheep breeds to some extent. It is the sheep's flocking instinct that allows sheep herders to look after large numbers of sheep and lambs.


Click HERE to learn about other sheep behaviors.



. . . New Words . . .

Instinct -behaviours which do not need to be learned. They help an animal survive.

Gregarious - tending to form a group with others of the same kind.

Social - tending to move or live together in groups or colonies of the same kind.


Smart Sheep




People often call sheep "stupid," because they don't act independently. Sheep are not stupid. Their only protection from predators is to stay in the flock and follow the sheep in front of them. At the same time, there is a growing body of evidence that sheep may actually possess some smarts.


Clever sheep foil cattle guard

Hungry sheep on the Yorkshire Moors (Britain) taught themselves to roll 8 feet (3 meters) across hoof-proof metal cattle grids and raid villagers' valley gardens. According to a witness, "They lie down on their side, or sometimes their back, and just roll over and over the grids until they are clear. I've seen them doing it. It is quite clever, but they are a big nuisance to villagers."








Source: BBC News, July 2004




I'll always remember ewe.

A study of sheep psychology has found man's woolly friend can remember the faces of more than 50 other sheep for up to two years. They can even recognize a familiar human face. The hidden talents of sheep revealed by a study in the journal Nature suggest they may be nearly as good as people at distinguishing faces in a crowd. Researchers say, "Sheep form individual friendships with one another, which may last for a few weeks. It's possible they may think about a face even when it's not there." The researchers also found female sheep had a definite opinion about what made a ram's face attractive







Sheep have a remarkable memory for faces.







Sheep can learn and remember



"A-Mazing" sheep

According to researchers in Australia, sheep can learn and remember. Researchers have developed a complex maze test to measure intelligence and learning in sheep, similar to those used for rats and mice. Using the maze, researchers have concluded that sheep have excellent spatial memory and are able to learn and improve their performance. And they can retain this information for a six-week period. The maze uses the strong flocking instinct of sheep to motivate them to find their way through. The time it initially takes an animal to rejoin its flock indicates smartness, while subsequent improvement in times over consecutive days of testing measures learning and memory.


Watch the maze test - Video of sheep going through the maze (10 Mb)


Iceland's "Leader Sheep"

The Icelandic leader sheep is a separate line within the Icelandic breed of sheep. As the name implies these sheep were leaders in their flocks. The leadership ability runs in bloodlines and is equally in males and females. Sheep of this strain have the ability, or instinct, to run in front of the flock, when it is driven home from the mountain pastures in autumn, from the sheep sheds to the winter pasture in the morning and back home in the evening, through heavy snowdrifts, over ice covered ground, or across rivers. Sometimes the Leaders would take the whole flock of grazing sheep on winter pasture back to the farm, early in the day, if a blizzard was on its way.





Leader sheep are known for their leader
characteristics and a specific sense of directions.


Photos courtesy of Lavender Farm




Sheep can learn which medicine cures them.
"Self-medicating" sheep

New research is suggesting that sick sheep could actually be smart enough to cure themselves. Australian researchers believe that sick sheep may actually seek out plants that make them feel better. There has been previous evidence to suggest that animals can detect what nutrients they are deficient in and can develop knowledge about which foods are beneficial or toxic.






. . . New Words . . .

Cattle guard - a type of obstacle to prevent hoofed animals, such as sheep or cows from passing. It consists of a grid of bars or tubes.

Maze - complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost.

Spatial - pertaining to the location of points in three-dimensional space.




Sheep Senses

Because they are a prey animal, sheep require excellent
senses to enhance their chances for survival in the wild.




EYES

Sheep depend heavily on their vision. They have excellent peripheral vision and can see behind themselves without turning their heads. However, they have poor depth of perception. They cannot see immediately in front of their noses. Some vertical vision may also have been sacrificed in order to have a wider field of vision. For example, they probably wouldn't be able to see a predator in a tree.




COLORS
Contrary to previous thought, sheep and other livestock see colors, though their color vision is not as well developed as it is in humans. Sheep will react in fear to new colors.

EARS

Sheep have excellent hearing. They can direct their ears to the direction of the sound. Sound arrives at each ear at slightly different times, with a small difference in amplitude. Sheep are frightened by high pitched and loud noises, such as dogs barking or firecrakers.





SMELL

Sheep have an excellent sense of smell. They are very sensitive to what different predators smell like. Smell helps rams locate ewes in heat and dams locate their lambs. Sheep also use their sense of smell to locate water and determine subtle or major differences between feeds and pasture.




TASTE

The sense of taste in sheep is probably not as important as the other senses. However, sheep have the ability to differentiate different feedstuffs and taste may play a role in this behavior. When presented with a variety of feeds, sheep will select certain feeds over others. Sheep will select different types and species of plants than other livestock.

TOUCH

Since the sheep's body is covered with wool or coarse hair, only the nose, lips, mouth, and maybe ears readily lend themselves to touching behavior. Touching is important to the interaction between sheep. Lambs seek bodily contact with their mothers and the ewes respond to the touching behavior in many ways, including milk letdown in response to nuzzling/suckling stimulus of lambs. When young lambs sleep, they will seek out their mothers and lie close to them.





Click HERE to learn how a sheep's natural instinct helps to protect it from predators.




. . . New Words . .

Amplitude - the strength or volume of a sound.

Depth of perception - three-dimensional perception that is essential for the ability of an individual to judge quickly and accurately the speed and distance relationships between an object and the individual.

Peripheral vision - the seeing of objects displaced from the primary line of site and outside of the central visual field. Also called side vision.


Beauty Adorns the Ram With Horns


Horned vs. Polled
While originally all rams had horns, sheep can have horns or not, depending upon their breed, sex, and genetics. Some sheep breeds have horns on both rams and ewes. Some have horns on only the rams. Rams have larger and more striking horns than ewes. When neither sex has horns, the breed is said to be "polled" or naturally hornless. Some sheep breeds have both horned and polled strains. Partial or underdeveloped horns are called "scurs." While horns are oftentimes removed from cows or goats for safety and management purposes, horns are seldom removed from sheep unless they pose a danger to the animal.


HORNED Karakul Ram


POLLED Shropshire Rams

Photo Courtesy of UK Shropshire
Sheep Breeders' Association

Beautiful Horns!
A sheep's horns are hollow, consisting of a keratinous sheath overlying a bony core that is attached to the skull. Horns will grow throughout the sheep's lifetime, with the most rapid growth occuring during the first two to three years. Sheep horns tend to curl and spiral, whereas goat horns grow straight out or up. Some rams have such beautiful horns that they are raised as "trophy" animals. Horns can be made into knife handles, spoons, hair combs, powder horns, and horse bits.







Awassi Rams
Kazakhstan Damara Ram

Photo courtesy of
Dawie Du Toit Damara Stud Icelandic Ram

Photo courtesy of
Lavender Fleece

Rare genetics allow some sheep to have four horns (or more)!


Jacob Ram



Navajo Churro Ram

Photo courtesy of
Bid A Wee Farm


On Commercial Sheep Farms

Horns are useful to wild sheep, but don't serve much of a useful purpose on sheep in commerical production situations. Horns can make handling sheep, especially rams, more difficult, dangerous, and more time consuming. Horned animals can get their heads stuck in fences, feeders, and equipment. As a result, selection has been for polled animals over the years.

Scottish Blackface Ram
Rambouillet x Merino ram


. . New Words . .

Horns - a hard, pointed, often curved part that grows from the top of the head of some animals. Consists of an inner, boney core covered by an outer sheath that is much like our fingernails. Horns are not shed annually as are antlers.


Polled - without horns, naturally hornless.

Scurs - any horny growth which is not attached to the skull.



Ouch!


Romney and Lincoln Rams

Head butting is both a natural and learned behavior in sheep. Contestive head butting is a carry over from when sheep ran wild and from those who still do. Since only the dominant rams get to breed the ewes, rams must fight to determine this privilege.




3/4 White Dorper Ram



Classic head butting among rams is highest during the rutting season which preceeds the onset of heat in ewes. It is a way for rams to get into physical shape for the breeding season and to establish (or re-establish) the dominance hierarchy.




Romney Ewes



Sheep are the classical social "flocking animal." They work out a social order by head butting, poking with horns, shoulder pushing, blocking, and mounting. This is seen most clearly in rams who back off, then charge, meeting head to head with a large bang.




Dorset Rams


To discourage butting, you should avoid petting or scratching a ram on the forehead. The ram may see this as a challenge or aggressive behavior. This is because the ram sees you as part of the flock and he wants to dominate you.




3/4 White Dorper Ram
No matter how friendly a ram is, he should never be trusted. You should never turn your back on a ram. Rams can cause serious injury to people and other animals.



. . . New Words . . .

Rutting - condition or period of mammalian sexual activity.

Dominance - the higher status position when social rank is organized according to a dominance-submission hierarchy.

Hierarchy - a group arranged according to rank or authority.

Heat - readiness for sexual activity.




1
Applied Sheep Behavior
Introduction, The Basics and Sheep Senses Sheep have evolved a unique and fascinating array of behavioral characteristics which have contributed to their survival and proliferation in a unique environmental niche. The
successful sheep producer learns to understand sheep behavior, and applies this knowledge to
practically all facets of flock management. The scientific study of animal behavior is called ethology. This publication will cover many aspects of sheep ethology from mating behavior to behavior at lambing time and feeding
behavior. This will not be an exhaustive review of sheep ethology because such a project would
require at least a couple of large books. Instead, we will focus on particular sheep behavioral
characteristics that have management implications for sheep producers in the farm and youth
club flocks.
The Basics of Sheep Behavior In recent years, ethologists have generated a considerable body of literature related to sheep behavior. The following review of research shows that the work which has been done
provides evidence for existing sheep management recommendations. There is also, however,
behavioral information that may challenge sheep producers to examine their management
practices in a different light. Before discussing the various components of applied sheep behavioral research, some basics should be covered. This includes a few definitions and a brief overview of sheep senses
because these are the tools which sheep use to interact with their environment. The senses are
also the essence of what makes sheep behaviorally distinct in the animal kingdom. Behavior can be defined as the animal's response to its environment. Domestic sheep exist in a relatively controlled environment and their response to that environment is a fairly
predictable composite of innate (inherited) and acquired (learned) components. Behavior is an important part of what makes a sheep a sheep, so an important question to answer is "What is a sheep?" One of the world's foremost sheep ethologists, Dr. R. Kilgour,
defines a sheep as a "defenseless, wary, tight-flocking, visual, wool-covered ruminant (cud-
chewing animal) evolved from a desert or a mountain grassland habitat with low water needs and
displaying a 'follower-type' dam precocial offspring relationship with strong imitation between
young and old in establishing range systems; showing seasonal breeding and a separate male
sub-group structure at certain times of the year." Others have pointed out that the sheep is a
strongly social animal requiring the presence of at least 4 or 5 sheep which, when grazing,
maintain a visual link with each other. 2 Much of what makes a sheep behaviorally unique is related to being a ruminating herbivore
(plant-eating animal). For example, contrast sheep feeding behavior with carnivorous (meat-
eating) feeding patterns. Carnivores spend a much smaller proportion of their time consuming
food and a considerable amount of time stalking. Sheep normally spend more time consuming
food and ruminating (cud-chewing) and little time in searching for food. Carnivores typically
must attack and subdue their food before consuming it. Sheep merely graze. These and many
other feeding behavioral traits can be logically assumed to provide a basis for much of what
makes sheep different from carnivores. Carnivores are aggressive, sheep passive. Carnivores
are anatomically suited for killing other animals while sheep are anatomically ideal for grazing.
Carnivores kill sheep. Sheep never kill carnivores. Ethologists have considered the time spent ruminating as an indicator of the basic nature of the sheep. Ruminating can take several hours a day and requires that the animal be
comfortable and relaxed. Sudden stresses will cause rumination to abruptly cease. During
rumination, sheep and cattle often acquire a pensive, sleepy expression. The cud-chewing time
is usually spent in groups and may be accompanied by mutual and self-grooming activity. In
established flocks there is reduced aggression with little or no stressful isolation of individuals
under normal conditions. It has been speculated that rumination and accompanying behavioral
activities are an important facet of the genesis of the strong flock instinct of sheep. It is also
suggested that rumination serve as an "anti-boredom" activity.Sheep Senses Sheep and other animals share the five basic senses: vision, audition (hearing), olfaction (smell), gustation (taste), and touch. The senses are the tools that an animal uses to interact with
its environment. As such, the senses can be considered initiators and/or mediators of behavioral
response. It is difficult to evaluate sheep senses. There is a temptation to allot human sensate capabilities to sheep, but a simple evaluation of anatomy shows that sheep and people must have
certain basic differences in how they see, feel, taste, smell and hear the world. However, it would be a mistake to base judgement of sheep perceptions solely on anatomical evaluations. The problem being that our understanding of the relationship between
anatomy and actual perception is too primitive to make confident assessments. The point is that
we do not completely understand sheep senses, but the things we have learned in recent years
have added greatly to our store of sheep knowledge. And a review of this information can be
helpful in sheep management. Vision. Did you ever look a sheep eye to eye? If you have you probably noticed a few things. For one thing, they have a very large pupil, and the sheep pupil is differently shaped than
the human pupil. The sheep pupil is somewhat rectangular in shape. And the eyeball is placed
more to the side of the head, which gives them a wider field of vision. Behavioral scientists believe that the placement and structure of the sheep's eyes are due to nature's designation of sheep as a prey species. Predator species, such as dogs and coyotes,
have eyes placed toward the front of their head. This narrows their total field of vision but it
increases their binocular visual field. This gives the predators better depth perception and a more
concentrated field of vision. 3 Prey species, like sheep and cattle, have a much wider visual field. With only slight head movement, sheep can scan their entire surroundings. If there is a threat, the sheep is likely to
perceive it and the behavioral response is generally to flee. The shape of the pupil further enhances the ability of sheep to pick up movement. The rectangular shape provides a built-in wide angle lens effect which is further enhanced by the
placement of the visual receptors in the retina. The total effect is enhanced peripheral vision. It
is speculated that a certain amount of vertical vision is sacrificed, i.e., sheep may not be able to
easily observe objects that are overhead, such as a predator in a tree. A similar phenomenon is
noted in deer, hence the popularity of hunting from overhead stands by deer hunters. Does the sheep sacrifice visual acuity to obtain a wide visual field of vision? The answer to this question is not clear, but current thought is that sheep vision is relatively keen. Consider
the advantages of good close-range vision for efficiently obtaining the best selection of pasture
species. Evidence to support this is obtained by comparing the number of cones and rods in
sheep versus humans, and the difference is not substantial. What about color vision? For many years it was believed that both cattle and sheep were color blind, but apparently this is not true. Current evidence is that all common livestock have
the cones necessary for color vision. In addition, research with sheep trained to discriminate
between colors has led investigators to conclude that sheep are not color blind. It is, however,
likely that sheep's color acuity is not equal to other species, such as humans. Hearing. There is limited research information about the auditory sense of sheep. However, there is evidence that sheep are sensitive to high pitched noises. Researchers have also
documented an increased release of stress-related hormones in response to sudden loud noises
such as firecrackers or barking dogs. Sheep become nervous and difficult to handle when stress
hormones are elevated, so it may be useful to avoid loud or shrill noises when handling or
moving sheep. The sheep can amplify and pinpoint sound with its ears. Sound arrives at each ear at slightly different times with a small difference in amplitude which the auditory system can
process into a directional signal. This can be further refined by moving the ears, head or the
entire body. This skill is probably almost as important as sight and smell for keeping the sheep,
as a prey species, alive. Smell. The olfactory sense of sheep may be the most difficult for humans to comprehend. Sheep have more highly developed olfactory systems than humans and probably
incorporate olfaction more completely in their interaction with their environment. In spite of the inability of humans to understand the full scope of the sheep's sense of smell, perhaps we get a hint when an odor triggers some long-buried memory or even an
emotion. The sense of smell is linked in some mysterious way to the core of both human and
ovine sensibilities. Sheep use smell in a number of ways. One way that is often observed is when smell is used to identify other sheep, particularly when a ewe uses smell to pick out her lamb. Another common use of smell is during mating. The ram constantly moves from ewe to ewe to detect the ones in heat (estrus). The classic head-raised, lip-curling behavior of the ram
(bulls and stallions, also) as he smells estrus females is called the Flehmen response. This trait,
which may be occasionally seen in females, is due to a special organ above the roof of the mouth
which humans do not have. It is called the vomeronasal organ. 4 A well-documented ewe response to the presence of males is the onset of cycling when previously absent males are introduced into the flock. The vomeronasal organ has been
implicated as a mediator of this response, probably due to a release of androgen-derived
pheromones by the males. Sheep probably use their olfactory sense to locate water and to identify subtle or major differences between pastures and feeds. For example, sheep prefer to avoid grazing near where
other sheep have defecated. Cattle are even more persnickety than sheep in this regard. An
olfactory stimulus is probably the trigger of this behavioral response which can have a significant
effect in grazing patterns over a grazing season. Sheep will select fresh feed in preference to spoiled feed. The next time you are tempted to dispose of moldy feed or hay by feeding it to sheep, try smelling it yourself. Then remember
that, if it smells bad to you, it may smell worse to the sheep. This may not always work,
however, because some molds, such as highly poisonous aflatoxin, cannot be detected by
humans. There are also feeds, such as silage, which many people find objectionable to smell
which sheep readily accept. Taste. The sense of taste in sheep is probably not as important as the sense of smell and it is difficult to separate behavioral responses that are due to taste from responses caused by the
olfactory sense. Sheep have the ability to differentiate feedstuffs and taste may play a role in this behavior. When presented with a variety of feeds, sheep will select certain feeds over others. In
practical situations, such as under grazing conditions with multiple forage species present, the
sheep will select different types and species than goats or cattle. There have been experiments to determine if sheep have "nutritional wisdom." This is based on the premise that sheep will attempt to eat feeds that provide them with the nutrients
they require. In most cases, sheep are unlikely to balance their own ration when provided a
variety of feeds. If possible, they will consume feeds at a level far higher than necessary to
provide essential nutrients. Salt is a good example. Salt is provided to meet the requirement for sodium but sheep will often consume many times the amount of salt needed to meet the requirement. Luckily,
there is no evidence that over consumption of salt will cause health problems if there is adequate
water available. Touch. Most of the sheep's body is covered with wool or coarse hair. The hooves are certainly not designed for maximum tactile stimulation. Only the nose, lips, mouth and maybe
the ears readily lend themselves to feeling behavior. This certainly does not mean that the skin
under the wool has no sensitivity. In fact, it is probably extremely sensitive, but protected.
Similarly, the hoof pad is probably also sensitive, as anyone who has trimmed hooves can relate
to. The sense of touch is undoubtedly important in interaction between animals. Lambs seek bodily contact with their dams and ewes probably respond to the touching behavior in various
ways, including milk let-down in response to the nuzzling/suckling stimulus of lambs. A practical touch situation is related to electric fences. Anyone who has used electric fences with a variety of grazing animal species knows that sheep are the least sensitive to
electricity. This is probably due to the insulating property of the wool. To use electric fences
with sheep, multiple hot wires should be placed with one being approximately at nose height. 5 High-quality, well-grounded chargers should be used, and sheep should be trained to the fence
by introducing them to a well-constructed permanent electric fence for their first experience.
Extension agents or fence companies can supply plans for electric fences that not only effectively
confine sheep, but also deter predators.
The Domestication of Sheep Sheep and humans have been closely associated for a long time. Studies have shown that sheep were probably the second or third species to be domesticated. Man's "best friend," the
dog, was the first species to be domesticated, with sheep and goats approximately tied for second
in the domestication race. It is difficult to know exactly when domestication occurred, but domesticated sheep remains have been dated some 9000 years ago in Iraq. Some experts suspect that sheep
domestication may have been fairly advanced as long as twelve to fifteen thousand years ago. Assessing behavioral modifications that occurred during domestication is difficult because the evidence is slim. Skeletal remains can be tracked and even fleece changes can be
charted, but behavioral changes are more elusive. Even so, certain important inferences can be
drawn than can assist the modern sheep producer in understanding the behavior of these
fascinating, docile animals.
The basics of Domestication "Domestication" is defined in Webster's Dictionary (2nd Edition, 1976) as "to cause (animals and plants) to be no longer wild..." Scientists who study domestication are careful to
differentiate domestication from taming. One expert 8. A. Reed) sums up this difference by
stating: "Although taming was or is necessarily a pathway toward domestication, a tamed animal
is not a domestic one." Sheep, with few exceptions, are a thoroughly domesticated species. The sheep that we work with each day are descended through thousands of generations of human contact. In all
probability, domestic sheep would not survive for long in most "wild" situations; certainly the
sheep would be quickly destroyed if significant predator pressure were present. Sheep are an almost perfect example of the symbiosis (mutual benefit) that is necessary for domestication. Sheep contribute wool, meat and milk in return for protection, shelter, feed
and health management. Interestingly, the sheep also have a profound symbiotic relationship
with the gut micro-organisms that digest the fibrous material (grass and hay) that makes these
animals economically efficient human partners. More simply, sheep convert forages that humans
cannot use into valuable products that we can use, and it is the gut microbes that allow them to
do this. Considering the numerous other factors, such a soil fertility, forage combinations, grain
supplementation, climate, etc., it becomes clear that domestication is a complicated story about
the development of complex, elegant relationship. Experts have proposed the following stages in the process of domestication of sheep:
!Loose ties of animals with man, but no control of breeding;
!Confinement and breeding in captivity, with separation from wild sheep allowing a
distinct domestic race to develop;
!Selective breeding by man for certain features with occasional mating to wild forms;
and, 6 !The gradual intensification of the development of different breeds with desirable
economic characteristics.
These steps occurred over thousands of years with the bond between man and sheep being gradually strengthened with each generation. A closer examination of certain aspects of
the domestication process may help sheep producers understand their animals better.
Early Domestication Much of what we understand about the earliest history of domestication is speculation based on studies of early man as a hunter-gatherer and sheep as a prey species. Sheep must have been an attractive quarry for early human hunters. Although pre-domesticated sheep were undoubtedly nimble and swift, and difficult to trap, they must have
been relatively simple for a skilled hunter to subdue after the sheep was cornered. The reward to
the hunter was enough meat to feed several people in a package that was small enough to be
conveniently carried home. After the family was fed, there was leather for clothing and shelter,
bladder for liquid storage and bones for tools and other uses. The most commonly offered scenario about the beginnings of the domestication process begins when a very young lamb is orphaned and adopted by humans. This process will be
understood by anyone who has raised an orphan lamb or calf. The lamb bonds with humans and
the younger the lamb, the more complete the bond. Modern behaviorists have proven that, if the
process begins within a few hours of birth, the attachment is especially strong and called
"imprinting." An orphan lamb which "imprints" to a human will have a bond with that person as
powerful as the attachment between a lamb and its dam. It will attempt to follow the person,
sleep near her and seek protection from the person if a threat is perceived. Most speculation begins when the fatherhunter kills a wild ewe with newborn lambs. The hunter takes the lamb(s) home and gives them to his children who raise them as pets. Some
behaviorists speculate that very young orphan lambs could have survived only if they obtained
milk from source. Previously tamed goat dams might fit this theory but, according to one theory,
the most logical source of milk was a woman who would suckle the orphan lamb with her own
children. Whatever the exact genesis of domestication, the sheep apparently adapted to the process remarkably well. At least part of the reason for the success of the domestication of sheep must
lie in the strong "flocking instinct" of sheep. The "flocking instinct" is scientific shorthand for
explaining that sheep are social animals. Humans are also social animals and both sheep and
humans have the capacity to expand their social group to include members of other species. For example, it is typical in many parts of the world to see humans, dogs and sheep working together as an economic-social entity. Humans, in effect, serve as the catalyst to meld
themselves with pack-forming animals (dogs) and flock-forming animals (sheep) into an
extended, interdependent pack/flock. As Alice said of Wonderland, "Curiouser and curiouser!"
Advances in Domestication As the millennia passed, the relationship between sheep and humans passed beyond "tamed companion" to "domestic partnership."
This was a symbiotic relationship, i.e., both species benefitted, or it would probably not have
proceeded as well as it did. One of the key elements in the advancement of the relationship must have been actions by humans that changed the breeding pattern. Charles Darwin was the great teacher who most 7 clearly explained the difference between "natural selection" in which man's role was no more
than another competing species and "methodical selection" in which man actively applied
selection pressure to achieve desired genetic results. An early possible behavior-related example of Darwin's methodical selection may have been the elimination of aggressive animals before breeding age which would result in selection
pressure in favor of gentle, more submissive, animals in the breeding flock. This could be done
by killing the aggressive animals or, in the case of rams, they may have been castrated. It is
unknown when it was discovered that castration causes desirable changes in behavior, but there
is evidence that it was practiced as early as the Neolithic period. Perhaps castration was first
done to improve behavior, then continued as the most effective available method for selective
breeding. As domestication advanced, the sheep were changed. The physical changes in body structure and wool have been documented, but behavioral changes are not as clear. According to
M. L. Ryder, "Modification of behavior was important in the adaptation of wild sheep to the new
environment, and this ability to change behavior may have made sheep amenable to
domestication." There are no other common livestock species, except dairy animals, which demand as much physical contact with their keeper. Beef cows, for example, may only be worked once or
twice per year, and it may take only a few moments to administer management procedures.
Sheep may be worked as many as six times a year. Cows typically calve and raise the calf with
little direct participation by humans. Lambs will more commonly be born in confinement with
considerable direct contact. Cows rarely need shearing. Sheep require considerable direct
contact during shearing time. (Horses, of course, may have more direct contact with humans, but
it is not a requirement for survival in most modern situations, and is more likely to be used for
recreational activities than as a source of necessary work.) The extreme level of animal/man contact required for successful sheep raising is probably one reason for the remarkable docility of sheep. If you are in the sheep business, ask
yourself how long you would keep a sheep that was aggressive, independent and had the ability
of creatively think of ways to escape. Probably not long and Neolithic shepherds were probably
no different. Therefore, as domestication advanced, sheep became more docile. The docility of sheep is not without problems. These gentle animals are, unfortunately, easy prey to free-ranging dogs, coyotes and other predators. The avoidance of predator loss is
yet another reason why sheep producers will typically have more contact with their animals than
managers of beef cattle. The practice of "methodical selection" by shepherds during the process of domestication led inevitably to the development of breeds. The origin and development of the various breeds
of sheep is a huge and interesting topic, but beyond the scope of the series, except as related to
behavior. There is considerable variability in behavioral traits between breed. For example,
certain breeds tend to be more gregarious, i.e., they "flock" better. The Rambouillet, for
example, is known as a breed with a strong tendency to "flock." Other breeds, notably the
Blackbelly Barbados, are known for being "flighty."
Modern Behavioral Implications Over a century ago, Charles Darwin offered an excellent explanation for the human tendency to select toward extremes in animal breeding. He stated: 8 "...in the process of selection man almost invariably wishes to go to an extreme point."
We have seen modern parallels to the tendencies that Darwin observed. Extremely tall "show-ring sheep" are an example. Behavioral extremes, such as nervous attitude (flightiness),
aggressiveness, weak mothering ability or low libido are behavioral traits that should generally
be avoided in sheep and which may, to some degree, be affected by the selection process. Mothering ability is an interesting example of a behavioral trait which has many facets and implications. the importance of mothering ability varies widely according to management
conditions. In farm flocks, the birth process often closely monitored and human assistance is
readily available. Twins and triplets are desired and common. Under range conditions, the dam
may have to fend for herself. Twins and certainly triplets are not preferred. Mothering ability is
probably more important in the range flock, but if the farm flock managers place little or no
importance on mothering ability they may develop sheep that are more difficult to manage
during the lambing period. Sheep generally present few behavioral problems. In fact, sheep are so gentle that they are routinely recommended as "starter" animals to introduce boys and girls to 4-H and FFA
livestock projects. Thousands of young people show sheep each year with almost zero
probability that they will be injured by an aggressive animal. Sheep are easily trained to lead
with or without a halter and are cooperative with even inexperienced youth. They is probably
the most readily observed "proof" of the high degree to which the sheep has been behaviorally
domesticated.

Mating Behavior One of the most important factors in determining the success of a sheep operation is the rate of reproduction. Reproductive efficiency is influenced by a number of variables, including
environment, nutrition and genetics. Behavior is also an important aspect of reproduction, and
an understanding of the basics of reproductive behavior can lead to management applications
that can improve reproductive success.
Puberty Puberty is the attainment of sexual maturity. In sheep, this can be as early as 6 months but it more commonly occurs at 7 to 12 months. Behaviorists have noted that both ram and ewe
lambs may perform mating activity before the reproductive tract is physiologically mature.
Therefore, pregnancy does not occur. Conversely, some ewe lambs may cycle, but not exhibit
estrus. A common goal of the flock manager is to breed ewe lambs to lamb as yearlings. This requires that they be bred when they are approximately 7 to 9 months old. Research has shown
that ewe lambs which are bred during their first year will be more productive over their lifetime. Ewe lambs will not normally cycle as many times as mature ewes, and will often start cycling later in the season. These facts may contribute to the difficulties that many sheep
producers report when trying to breed ewe lambs.
Seasonal Breeding Behavior Sheep exhibit seasonal breeding patterns. In general, they are referred to as being seasonally anestrus (non-cycling) or short-light breeders. This means that they are more likely to
breed in the fall, when day length is shorter and temperatures are cooler. 9 The onset of the breeding season is controlled by the pineal gland which is located in the brain. This gland secretes a hormone, called melatonin, which acts on the hypothalamus to
initiate the breeding cycle. The stimulus for the secretion of melatonin is shorter photoperiod, or
shorter day length. Interestingly, the further away from the equator that a sheep breed originated, the more likely they will exhibit seasonal breeding patterns. Conversely, sheep developed in the tropics or
subtropical regions are likely to exhibit estrus behavior throughout the year. Successful attempts to alter breeding cycles have been conducted. One method for accomplishing this is to house sheep in environments in which the length of the light/dark
periods can be artificially controlled. Most researchers who have reported success in using this
method have stressed the need for absolute darkness during the simulated night portions of the
period. The light/dark hours most commonly mentioned in the literature is 8 hours of light and
16 hours of darkness. This effect has been enhanced by the administration of certain hormones. Another approach has been to use a synthetic form of melatonin. This method has proven successful in other countries, but has not been approved for use in the United States. The onset of cycling behavior in ewes may be stimulated by the introduction of a ram. Various researchers have demonstrated that a high proportion of ewes will come into heat
(estrus) within a few days after a ram is introduced. This effect is more pronounced if the rams
and ewes have been completely separated during the non-breeding period. This phenomenon
tends to result in a synchronized breeding period, with multiple ewes exhibiting estrus behavior
at the same time. Seasonal breeding behavior is generally regarded as being more in the realm of the ewe, but rams are also affected. Researchers have reported decreased levels of testosterone
production and decreased testicular size in rams during the off-season. The off-season for
breeding in the farm flock states, including Tennessee, is generally regarded as the late spring
and summer months.
Courtship and Mating Ewes will cycle several times during the breeding season if they are not bred or if they fail to become pregnant. The reproductive cycle of the ewe is about 16 days (range = 14 to 20
days). The actual period of estrus when the ewe is sexually receptive to the ram is about 30 to 36
hours. Ewes in heat may actively seek out and attempt to stay in the vicinity of the rams. There may be little other sign of estrus early in the heat period, but as the heat period progresses, the
ewe may become more active in her courtship behavior. During the peak of estrus the ewe may
sniff, lick or nuzzle the ram. The estrus ewe is likely to urinate frequently, particularly if the ram is investigating. A ewe may exhibit the urination response to the ram whether she is in heat or not, but if she is not
in heat, she will usually leave the vicinity of the ram. If she is in heat she may passively accept
the attention of the ram, occasionally turning her head to observe the ram's activities. Sometimes
the ewe fans or wriggles her tail. The classic behavioral response of the ram when it detects an estrus ewe is to lift its nose into air and curl its upper lip. This is called the Flehmen response. The Flehmen response is
generally exhibited after smelling freshly excreted urine. Although the Flehmen response is
visually graphic, it is not considered to be a means of sexual communication. Instead, the 10 primary purpose of Flehmen is generally regarded to expose the vomeronasal organ. This organ
is in the nasal cavity and is connected to the roof of the mouth. Its purpose is to detect the
pheromones (sexual odor compounds) in the urine. Rams exhibit certain additional stereotypical display patterns. There will often be impatient appearing foot-stomping behavior. The ram may lick the ewe's genitalia and will
frequently nudge the ewe. There may be some grunting vocalization. The ram may fail in several initial attempts to mount the ewe. Teasing behavior has been reported to last about 3 hours in one study. When the tip of the penis achieve contact with the
vulval mucosa, insertion and ejaculation quickly follow. The breeding may be repeated a
number of times. The volume of each ejaculate is comparatively small (one milliliter or less)
which may partially account for the ram's ability to repeatedly mount and ejaculate within a
relatively short period. If more than one ewe is in heat at once, competition for the ram may occur and ewes may be seen to mill around the ram. Rams may repeatedly mount one ewe, but will exhibit apparent exhaustion after about 3 to 6 mountings. The ram may exhibit rapid recovery if a new estrus ewe is introduced. One
study noted that a ram mated three times as much when placed with 4 estrus ewes than when
placed with one ewe in heat. Rams will tend to select older ewes over ewe lambs. Rams have also been reported to select ewes of their own breed over ewes of another breed.
Dominance Effects If multiple rams are used in a breeding flock, it is likely that a dominance hierarchy will develop. In some situations, this may have serious management implications. For example, the
dominant ram may be genetically inferior, in which case the lambs which result would be likely
to be of inferior quality. Another potentially serious problem that may occur is when the
dominant ram is infertile or sub-fertile. The could easily cause a drastic decrease in lambing
percentage. mature rams will almost always dominate over yearling rams. All other things being equal, larger rams will tend to dominate smaller rams. Sometimes smaller rams are more
aggressive, however, and may breed more ewes. Rams will normally display agonistic (fighting) behavior when introduced into the ewe flock. In some cases this can result in injury or exhaustion. Rams will tend to fight longer if
they are evenly matched. Fewer problems may occur when three rams are used instead of two. It has been observed that subordinate rams may exhibit considerable sniffing/Flehmen activity with ewes in early estrus while giving way to dominant males for mating during peak
estrus.
Libido Libido is the term which is used to denote sexual drive or the degree of sexual urge of animals. A ram with a high libido will exhibit an eagerness to mount and attempt to breed a ewe.
Some might characterize a ram with high libido as a "worker," or a ram that "goes about his
business." Rams exhibit a wide range of libido levels, from zero activity to the extremely aggressive ram that sacrifices all other pursuits in favor of searching for and breeding estrus females. Either 11 extreme may cause problems, and ram lambs are more likely to exhibit extremely low or high
libido. A number of tests have been developed to measure the libido levels of rams. These have included measurements of reaction time when introduced to estrus females and ratios of
successful mountings to attempted mountings. Probably the most useful are serving capacity
tests where ram performance is assessed in a number of categories over a period of 2 weeks or
more. At present, there is no reliable, widely used test of ram libido. Producers can assess the practical libido of a ram by placing a marking harness on the ram(s) so that a colored spot is left
on the ewe's rump after breeding. By keeping a record of breeding activity, an assessment of the
ram's breeding activity can be made. In addition, this type of record can provide a means for
monitoring the degree of success or failure of the ram's breeding efforts and allows prediction of
lambing dates.
Unusual Mating Behavior Most of the preceding has been devoted to the "typical" or "average" sexual behavior. There are a number of situations which are not typical, however, and some of these have
important management implications. Probably the most commonly noted example is failure to breed by a young ram. Rams are often raised in monosexual groups. Sometimes they are isolated and raised alone. Either of
these situations is likely to result in a certain percentage (estimates range from 20 to 60 percent)
that will experience initial difficulty with mating. One study found the 17 percent had not mated
after 9 days of exposure to estrus ewes. One study noted that rams raised in isolation were more
successful in initial matings than rams raised in single-sex groups. It has been postulated that
rams reared together have to "unlearn" the response that was experienced in sexual/fighting
situations with other males. Then the correct response to the female could be expressed. Rams
reared alone also have difficulty, but maybe not as much as rams raised in groups because the
rams reared alone did not have to "unlearn" behavioral patterns. Homosexual behavior has been reported in sheep but is usually noted in groups of males grouped together, as in the previous paragraph. Homosexual behavior has been implicated as a
causative factor of reduced ram libido in flock situations. The cause of reduced libido is
probably less important than recognizing that a problem exists and taking appropriate action,
which usually means replacing the ram.
Behavior at Lambing Time This is the third in a series of articles about sheep ethology (behavior). In this segment, the behavior of sheep at lambing time will be addressed. Behavioral traits associated with the birth process (parturition) are deeply rooted in the ancient development of animals. The basic assumption is that animals have evolved behavioral
strategies that insure their survival to the greatest possible degree. During the birth process, both
the dam and her offspring are in a weakened state, and are susceptible to attack by predators. It
is, therefore, important that steps be taken to minimize the susceptibility. In general, these steps
may include location of safe sites for the birthing process, quickening the process, protecting the
process, minimizing evidence of the process and achieving rapid recovery. A recent survey showed that 9.2 percent of lambs born in Tennessee do not live to weaning time. This is in agreement with other surveys which show typical losses ranging from 5 12 to 15 percent. Most of these losses occur during or shortly after parturition (birth). Many of the
causes of young lamb death are related to behavior. Researchers have studied many aspects of sheep behavior before, during and after parturition. The serious student of sheep ethology, for example, can find studies that detail
behavioral traits of the fetus. For the purposes of assisting the shepherd by explaining applied
behavioral tendencies or traits, there are four basic areas which will be considered in this paper.
These include the behavior of the pre-parturient ewe, the behavior of the ewe at lambing time,
ewe behavior after lambing and behavior of the lamb after lambing.
The Behavior of the Pre-Parturient Ewe Any shepherd who wishes to succeed in managing a reproductive flock should learn to recognize the behavioral patterns that are characteristic of the ewe which is about to give birth. The first sign that is usually seen is the tendency for the ewe to separate from the rest of the flock, but this behavior is not always seen. Researchers who have studied pre-parturient
separation have reported widely differing results. Studies on wild Bighorn Sheep showed that
they all seek isolation, while another study with Merinos found that 90 percent lamb wherever
they happen to be. Another study with Merinos and British breed ewes found that two-thirds of
the ewes were isolated from the flock, and that most of these actively sought isolation. Ewes
lambing in pens or barns will often seek a corner. Other ewes will often follow the ewe as she
seeks isolation. Shelter seeking behavior before lambing, like isolation behavior, has not always been observed. The advantage of shelter seeking is to improve the birthing environment, particularly
during harsh weather. Studies in Australia, with Merino ewes, showed little tendency by the
ewes to seek shelter, even in cold weather. Studies with Welsh Mountain ewes and Laucaune
ewes showed that cold, windy conditions increased the probability that ewes would seek shelter
during lambing. Studies have shown that shorn ewes are more likely to seek shelter at lambing time than ewes in full fleece. This finding has led to adaptation of the practice of shearing ewes about 6 to
8 weeks before parturition, particularly in the farm flock regions of the United States where
medium wool breeds predominate. It has been observed that ewes under this type of
management are more likely to lamb inside and are more attentive dams. There is also a
significant reduction in space requirements. The disadvantages of twice-a-year shearing include
additional labor requirements and a decrease in wool length, which decreases fleece value.
Ewe Behavior at Lambing Time Ewes may lamb at any time of the day or night, but various studies have indicated that lambing may become concentrated at certain times. One study noted two peak lambing times
from 9:00 am to noon and between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm. Another study linked lambing time to
feeding time, showing that an early evening feeding tended to increase night-time lambings
which is inconsistent with what has been generally noted in cattle. As lambing time draws near, the ewes may become more restless. Such expressions as pawing or stamping, vocalization and circling are common at 60 to 90 minutes. Feed
consumption and cud-chewing will normally cease. The restless period will usually be shorter
for older ewes. Some ewes (21.0 percent in one study) may show increased interest in other
lambs in the flock during this period, including cleaning behavior and occasional attempts to
"steal" the lambs. 13 Labor is usually short in sheep, often less than an hour from the first protrusion of the vulva. First lamb ewes are more likely to have labor that extends over an hour, and older ewes
may be in labor only one-half an hour. If labor continues for over an hour with mature ewes or
two hours with first-lamb ewes, assistance is often appropriate. Ewes are often interested in the amniotic fluid that drips from their vagina onto the ground. They will repeatedly sniff and lick the area that is contaminated with this fluid. It has
been postulated that this behavior serves as a means to keep the ewe near her "nest" site during
the birth of her lamb(s). One report noted that the ewe's attraction to the "nest" area may be
strong enough to keep her near it despite the removal of a lamb. This has practical implications
if the ewe fails to provide adequate "mothering" merely because the lamb accidently wanders
away. This is not considered to be a major difficulty. The ewe usually lies down during the latter stages of labor, but may stand during the actual birth.
Ewe Behavior After Lambing If there has been a normal birth, ewes will stand during or shortly after the birth of the lamb and begin to nuzzle and lick. This period, referred to as the "critical period" by
behaviorists, is an important time for establishing the maternal/offspring bond. The
licking/cleaning behavior, which usually starts at the head, serves to stimulate the lamb while
also drying it. The cleaning is probably also part of the initial bonding process, and is typically
accompanied by low-pitched, gurgling vocalizations. Experiments have shown that lambs learn
to recognize the characteristic voice of its dam. The ewe is normally attracted to her newborn offspring, but researchers are not certain of the exact nature of the attraction. It has been noted that post-parturient ewes are strongly
attracted to the fluids associated with the birth process. For example, researchers found that
ewes are even attracted to a rag, if the rag is soaked in placental fluid. It is also well-recognized
that it is normal for the ewe to consume the birth membranes (but not the actual placenta,
usually) during the cle Quote

That was one of the longest post i have ever seen here. Might take 4 days just to read all that. Quote

That was one of the longest post i have ever seen here. Might take 4 days just to read all that.


I hoping

Poems and songs and jokes and short stories poor Ozzie had read all

He should just drink more and forget what he read

Quote

That was one of the longest post i have ever seen here. Might take 4 days just to read all that.


Took me 4 days just to scroll down past it!!

Quote

Took me 4 days just to scroll down past it!!


Hear hear! Is it Monday yet?? I just stopped at the bit where the ram licks the ewe's genitalia. Sheep like oral sex! Yay! Quote