Wikipedia source excerpts
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Sheep are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia, with Iran being a geographic envelope of the domestication center. One of the earliest animals to be domesticated for agricultural purposes, sheep are raised for fleeces, meat (lamb, hogget, or mutton), and sheep milk. A sheep's wool is the most widely used animal fiber, and is usually harvested by shearing. Ovine meat is called lamb and mutton, with lamb describing meat from younger animals and mutton meat from older ones. Sheep continue to be important for wool and meat today, and are also occasionally raised for pelts, as dairy animals, or as model organisms for science.
Sheep husbandry is done throughout the majority of the inhabited world. It was central to agriculture and textiles throughout Eurasia for millennia. In the 21st century, Australia, New Zealand, nations of southern and western South America, South Africa, and the British Isles are most closely associated with sheep production. More recently, China and India host among the largest flocks by absolute count, if as a smaller proportion of their economy.
There is a large lexicon of unique terms for sheep husbandry which vary considerably by region and dialect. Use of the word sheep began in Middle English as a derivation of the Old English word scēap. A group of sheep is called a flock. Many other specific terms for the various life stages of sheep exist, generally related to lambing, shearing, and age.
As a key animal in the history of farming, sheep have an entrenched place in human culture. Sheep terminology and idiom are common in language and symbolism. As livestock, sheep are most often associated with pastoral, Arcadian imagery. Sheep figure in many mythologies—such as the Golden Fleece—and major religions, especially the Abrahamic traditions.
Sheep may fall victim to poisons, infectious diseases, and physical injuries. As a prey species, sheep try to hide signs of illness, to prevent being targeted by predators. This can cause unobservant shepherds to miss signs of a sheep in need. However, some signs of ill health are obvious, with sick sheep eating little, lying down excessively, and being generally listless.
Throughout history, much of the money and labor of sheep husbandry has aimed to prevent sheep ailments. Historically, shepherds often created remedies by experimentation on the farm. In some developed countries, including the United States, sheep lack the economic importance for drug companies to perform expensive clinical trials required to approve more than a relatively limited number of drugs for ovine use. Extra-label drug use in sheep production is permitted in many jurisdictions, subject to certain restrictions. In the 20th and 21st centuries, a minority of sheep owners have turned to alternative treatments such as homeopathy and herbalism to treat sheep veterinary problems. The effectiveness of alternative veterinary medicine has been met with skepticism by agricultural scientists. Certified organic farming with sheep requires eschewing certain medications, resulting in some shepherds recommending keeping two flocks – the lucky and healthy sheep who aren't immediately treated and stay in the organic flock, while any sheep needing anti-parasite drugs or antibiotics are moved into a standard flock.
Many breeders take a variety of preventive measures to ward off problems. Regulating sheep intermixing can check the spread of disease from flock to flock. This can mean verifying sheep health before they are transferred or purchased, and quarantining new sheep for two or three weeks. Good nutrition and good sanitation also greatly improve sheep health. Avoiding poisons is important; common poisons sheep can encounter are pesticide sprays, inorganic fertilizer, motor oil, and radiator coolant containing ethylene glycol.
Reducing stress in sheep is also important for their health. Restraint, isolation, loud noises, novel situations, pain, heat, extreme cold, fatigue and other stressors can lead to secretion of cortisol, a stress hormone, in amounts that may indicate welfare problems. Excessive stress can compromise the immune system. "Shipping fever" (pneumonic mannheimiosis, formerly called pasteurellosis) is a disease of particular concern, that can occur as a result of stress, notably during transport and (or) handling. Pain, fear and several other stressors can cause secretion of epinephrine (adrenaline). Considerable epinephrine secretion in the final days before slaughter can adversely affect meat quality (by causing glycogenolysis, removing the substrate for normal post-slaughter acidification of meat) and result in meat becoming more susceptible to colonization by spoilage bacteria.
Other than parasites and disease, predation is a threat to sheep and the profitability of sheep raising. Sheep have little ability to defend themselves, compared with other species kept as livestock. Even if sheep survive an attack, they may die from their injuries or simply from panic. However, the impact of predation varies dramatically with region. In Africa, Australia, the Americas, and parts of Europe and Asia predators are a serious problem. In the United States, for instance, over one third of sheep deaths in 2004 were caused by predation. In contrast, other nations are virtually devoid of sheep predators, particularly islands known for extensive sheep husbandry. Worldwide, canids—including the domestic dog—are responsible for most sheep deaths. Other animals that occasionally prey on sheep include: felines, bears, birds of prey, ravens and feral hogs.
Sheep producers have used a wide variety of measures to combat predation. Pre-modern shepherds used their own presence, livestock guardian dogs, and protective structures such as barns and fencing. Fencing (both regular and electric), penning sheep at night, and lambing indoors all continue to be widely used. More modern shepherds used guns, traps, and poisons to kill predators, causing significant decreases in predator populations. In the wake of the environmental and conservation movements, the use of these methods now usually falls under the purview of specially designated government agencies in most developed countries.
The 1970s saw a resurgence in the use of livestock guardian dogs and the development of new methods of predator control by sheep producers, many of them non-lethal. Donkeys and guard llamas have been used since the 1980s in sheep operations, using the same basic principle as livestock guardian dogs. Interspecific pasturing, usually with larger livestock such as cattle or horses, may help to deter predators, even if such species do not actively guard sheep. In addition to animal guardians, contemporary sheep operations may use non-lethal predator deterrents such as motion-activated lights and noisy alarms.
Economic importance
Sheep are an important part of the global agricultural economy. While historically of top importance and relevance, their status has been eclipsed in the 20th century by other livestock species, especially the pig, chicken, and cow. China, Australia, India, Nigeria, and Iran have the largest modern flocks, and serve both local and exportation needs for wool and mutton. Other countries such as New Zealand have smaller flocks but retain a large international economic impact due to their export of sheep products. Sheep also play a role in local economies, such as niche markets focused on organic or sustainable agriculture and local food customers. Especially in developing countries, such flocks may be a part of subsistence agriculture rather than a system of trade.