Domestic Sheep

Native to Mediterranean countries and Asia, they reside in plains, deserts, mountain regions and tropical areas. They were domesticated over 11,000 years ago in what is now the Middle East country of Iraq. They subsist on an herbivore diet of grasses, small shrubs and tree leaves and have varied coloring of white, black or mixed. They weigh between 150 to 450 lbs. Sheep is a common name for a collection of grazing animals, either domesticated or wild. They are the most widely distributed domesticated animal in the world with more than 800 different breeds in existence. Sheep are even-toed hoofed and cud chewing animals with permanent paired hollow horns that are larger and more curved on the male than on the female. Wooled sheep are sheared and the wool used for making pelts, carpets and spun into clothing. There are some breeds of sheep that lack wool such as the Barbados sheep who are covered instead with hair. The Barbados sheep are raised primarily as meat sources. Wooled sheep, in addition to providing wool, are excellent sources for meat as well as sources for milk and cheese