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How are sheep classified scientifically?
Taxonomy of sheep
 Kingdom Animalia Animal
 Phylum Chordata Vertabrae
(has spinal cord)
 Sub-phylum Vertibrata
 Class Mammalia Mammal
(nurses young)
 Order Ungulata Hoofed animal
 Sub-order Artiodactyla Even toed
 Family Bovidae Hollow horns
 Sub-family Caprinae Sheep and goats
 Genus Ovis Sheep
 Species Aries Domestic sheep
A sheep's vital signs can help determine if it is sick or in distress.

 Sign Range
 Body temperature 102-103°F
 Heart rate 60-90 beats/minute
 Respiration 12-20 breaths/minute
SHEEP TERMS 
 
Ram  male of breeding age 
Wether  castrated male 
Ram lamb  immature male 
Ewe lamb  immature female 
Lamb  newborn 
Flock  group (3 or more) 
Tupping  act of breeding 
Lambing  act of parturition (giving birth) 
Birth weight  5 - 8 lb. 
Average number born  1.1 - 1.4 lambs/year 
Weaning age  2 - 3 months 
Pasture carrying capacity  5 - 6 ewes & lambs/acre 
 
   
 
TYPES OF SHEEP (body covering) 
 
Fine wool  Merino (100%) 
Medium wool  1/4, 3/8, & ½ blood 
Long wool  coarse, strong, luster, 12"/yr (English breeds) 
Carpet wool  lowest quality 
Hair  straight, non elastic & glossy 
 
 
 
BIOLOGICAL TRAITS 
 
Life span 6 -11 years 
Chromosome number  54 
 
         
          Temperature ( F)  Respiration rate  Pulse rate 
        MAXIMUM  104.0  20  80 
        AVERAGE  102.5  16  75 
        MINIMUM  102.0  10  70 
         
 
 
 
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 
 
Ruminant - multiple-compartment stomach containing microbes (bugs) that are able to digest forages 
Daily consumption levels  Food = 2 - 4.5 lb. 
Water = 0.5 - 1.5 quarts 
Daily waste volume  Fecal = 2 - 6.5 lb. 
Urine = 10 - 40 ml per kg body weight 
 
   
 
REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS 
 
Ewes 
Mature weight  90 - 300 lb. 
Breeding season  early fall to late winter (some are 
poly-estrous year around, ex. Dorset) 
Estrous cycle  14 - 19 days seasonally poly-estrous 
Duration of estrus  24 - 36 hr. (standing heat) 
Time of ovulation  24 - 30 hr. from beginning of estrus 
Gestation period  145 -155 days 
Breeding/year  1 - 2/yr. 
Artificial Insemination  Yes  Cervical or Vaginal Method 
       Intrauterine Method 
Ewe lambs 
Puberty  5 - 8 months (80 - 100 lb.) 
Minimum breeding age  8 - 10 months 
Rams 
Puberty  6 - 8 months 
Mature weight  150 - 450 lb. 
Serviceability  1 ram: 30-35 ewes (60 day breeding season) 
Ejaculate volume  0.8 - 1.2 ml 
Sperm concentration  2000 - 3000 million/ml 
Motile sperm  60 - 80% 
Semen freezable  yes 
 
   
UNDER THE HIDE (Carcass Information) 
 
 
         
          HIGH  AVERAGE  LOW 
        Age at Slaughter  8 months  6 months  4 months 
        Live Weight  160 lb.  125 lb.  85 lb. 
        Dressing Percentage (%)  57 %  52 %  45 % 
        Fat Thickness  .50 in.  .25 in.  .05 in. 
        Ribeye Area  3.6 in.2  2.6 in.2  1.5 in.2 
        Kidney, Pelvic & Heart Fat (%KPH)  6.0 %  3.0 %  1.5 % 
         
        Yield Grades 
        1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, based on the backfat thickness at the 12th rib. 

        Yield Grade Formula = 0.4 + ( 10 x adjusted back fat thickness, inches) 

        Quality Grades
        Based on a composite evaluation of conformation, maturity, and quality of the lean flesh.
        US Prime US Good 
        US Choice US Utility 
         
        Degrees of Flank Fat Streaking - used to predict marbling, since lamb carcasses are not ribbed to expose ribeye muscle marbling
         
        Devoid  Modest 
        Practically devoid  Moderate 
        Traces  Slightly abundant 
        Slight Moderately abundant 
        Small  Abundant 
         
        Maturity (physiological) - Chronological age of the live lamb is determined by assessing the physiological age of the bone and muscle. Maturity grades are A and B

        Break joint - young lambs the rigid surface of the joint is quite red, moist, and porous Spool joint - older sheep the joints become less red, drier, and harder

         
        Color of lean  red to dark red 
         
        Relationship of Maturity & Flank Streaking for Quality Grade in a Lamb Carcass (Boggs & Merkel, Live Animal Carcass Evaluation and Selection Mannual

        SHEEP TEETH

        MOUTH & TEETH
        20 Temporary teeth
        32 Permanent teeth at maturity
        4 pairs of Incisor teeth on lower jaw
        Upper incisors missing
        Cartilaginous (hard) dental pad on upper jaw
        Split upper lip with mobile lips
        AGE OF SHEEP (teeth)
        Lamb  4 pair of Incisors
        1 year  middle pair of Incisors
        2 years  2nd pair of permanent Incisors
        3 years  3rd pair of permanent Incisors
        4 years  4th pair of permanent Incisors
        5 years  all permanent Incisors close together
        6 years  Incisors begin spreading apart
        7-8 years  some Incisors broken
        10-12 years  all Incisors missing
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/4hyouth/sheep/sheepfacts.htm