Feeding sheep is a fun and rewarding lifestyle and it can be very profitable. If you are interested in getting sheep breeding rams and dams, you must understand all aspects of raising sheep. This includes purchasing, breeding, insemination, lambing, nutrition, feeding and more. All of these educational obligations may be overwhelming at first, so starting with basic sheep biology is a good approach. Read on to learn about sheep taxonomy, domestication, life expectancy, vital signs, and more.
Sheep classification
Sheep are classified as their own livestock species; however, they are most similar to goats in terms of origin and structure. In addition to being closely related to goats, sheep retain the following classifications:
Kingdom = animal world
Door = chordate
Sub-Phylum = Vertibrata
Rank = breast-feeding
Order = Ungulata
Sub-order = Artiodactyl
Family = Bovine
Sub-family = Sheep subfamily
Genus = argali
Species = Aries
Return
Like dogs and cats, sheep can also be domesticated, but not for companionship for agricultural purposes. In fact, sheep was one of the first animals to be used for agricultural purposes. The animals began in the Neolithic and Middle Stone Ages 10,000 years ago.
Life expectancy
Sheep can live for a long time if properly cared for and never obey the carnivores in the wild. On average, sheep have a life expectancy of between 10 and 12 years. This is similar to the average life expectancy of large dogs. The oldest sheep to date have been included in the Guinness Book of World Records. This is a 23-year-old Merino sheep. Interestingly, cows live longer than sheep!
Productivity expectation
As for productivity [lacking, wool, milk, etc.], the sheep will soon expire. Sheep usually begin to reduce productivity after 6 or 7 years. This is usually the time to take them out of the flock. Young sheep and lambs are genetically superior to older sheep. You can determine the age of the sheep by examining their front teeth. Their teeth placement and growth vary with each age cycle.
vital signs
The vital signs of sheep are how the breeder measures its biological and physiological statistics. This helps determine the health and whether the sheep are experiencing pain. Common vital signs used in this include body temperature, heart rate and breathing. The average body temperature is between 102-103 degrees Fahrenheit, the average heart rate is between 60 and 90 beats per minute, and the average breath reading is between 12 and 20 breaths per minute. Sheep are healthy if the animals are within these average ranges.
Orignal From: Basic sheep biology information
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