Sheep

Sheep (Ovis aries) are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name “sheep” applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries. Numbering a little over one billion, domestic sheep are also the most numerous species of sheep. An adult female sheep is referred to as a ewe (/juː/), an intact male as a ram or occasionally a tup, and castrated males as wethers. Sheep are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia. One of the earliest animals domesticated for agricultural purposes, sheep were widely adopted in many different societies due to their convertibility between production systems. They are relatively easy to keep compared to other livestock due to their small stature and lack of requirement for extra butchery outside of shearing. Their diet consists mainly of grass; fresh, dried or fermented fodder can be given during times when fresh grass is unavailable or if higher quality feed is desired.