The sheep is used on the family farm mostly for its hair, called wool. In the winter the sheep's hair grows thick and long, and then it is cut in the spring time.

In the olden days the farmer and his wife would take the freshly cut wool to a spinning wheel, and slowly spin the strands of hair together into spools of long woolen thread. The threads could then be woven or knitted together to make sweaters, gloves and other items for winter wear. The farmer who is leading the sheep to pasture above is called a "shepherd," which is short for "sheep herder." The shepherd dog got its name from the fact that farmers use the dog to help herd their sheep. Although the meat of the sheep is very popular in other countries, it is less popular in America. Lamp chops and leg of lamb from the younger sheep are often eaten in the spring to celebrate Easter, but the meat from the older sheep is called "mutton," and some people in America find the taste too strong for their liking.

In the early history of the Wild West, cattle ranchers used to dislike the shepherds because they felt that their sheep ate the grass so close to the ground that their cattle would be starved to death.

What is a mother sheep called?
Ewe (pronounced like "you")

Amazingly, however, there are more sheep to be found in Texas today than in any other state. The state with the next most sheep, California, has less than half as many sheep as Texas. But America does not even rank in the top ten sheep producers of the world. Even the small country of England raises more sheep than the USA. The vast majority of the world's sheep are raised in Russia, Australia and New Zealand, and China. In Australia there are an incredible 9 sheep for every human being, which pales in comparison to New Zealand, where there are 22 sheep for every human being.

What is a father sheep called?
Ram

Goats are closely related to sheep, but they are rarely bred for their wool, with the exception of Angora and Cashmere goats. Believe it or not, more people drink goat milk in the world than cow milk. The more aggressive horned goats can also help protect herds of sheep from some predators, and are good herders since sheep naturally follow their lead. Goats, unlike sheep, usually have beards, shorter tails that stick straight up, and the males have glands on their heads that give off odors. What is a baby goat called? Kid Return to the Barn. Outstanding Kids' Magazines ↓  For Your Favorite Little Animal Lover  ↓ Home Animal Research Library About AmericaZoo Lesley Fountain  ♦  P. O. Box 215, Fortuna, CA 95540  ♦  Voicemail 1-214-292-9404 email-us @ americazoo.com