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Sheep terminology



Sheep and lambs

Sheep are over one year of age. They have usually produced offspring. Lambs are less than one year of age. They have usually not produced offspring.





Lamb and mutton

Lamb is also the term for the flesh of a young domestic sheep eaten as food. The meat from a sheep that is older than 12 months is called mutton. Yearling mutton is the meat from a sheep between 1 and 2 years of age. Mutton has a much stronger flavor than lamb.





Wool

The fiber that most sheep grow is called wool. The wool from one sheep is called a fleece. Many fleeces from the same farm, wool pool, region, or state are called a clip. Shearing is when the wool is cut off (or shaved) from the sheep.





Ewes

A female sheep is called a ewe. Yoe is a slang term for ewe. A young female is called a ewe lamb. The process of giving birth to lambs is called lambing. Another word for birthing is parturition. Another word for pregnancy is gestation.





Rams

A male sheep is called a ram. Buck is the slang term for ram. A young male is called a ram lamb. In parts of the United Kingdom, a ram is called a tup and the mating season is called tupping.





Wethers

A castrated male sheep is called a wether. Wethers are less aggressive than rams.



Yearling

A yearling is an animal between 1 and 2 years of age that may or may not have produced offspring. In other countries, a yearling ewe is called a hogget, shearling, gimmer, theave, or teg.





Flock

A group of sheep is called a flock. Larger groups of sheep are called bands or mobs.





Shepherd

A shepherd is a person who cares for sheep.





Sheepherder

A sheepherder is a herder of sheep (on open range). It is someone who keeps the sheep together in a flock. In the U.S., the sheepherder is not usually the owner of the sheep.





Farm (n)

A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food. It usually includes cultivated land for producing crops





Ranch

A ranch is a farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock.





Abattoir

An abattoir is a building where animals are slaughtered and processed into meat products. It comes from the French word, abattre, "to strike down."





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