Sheep Interesting Facts

January 28, 2010 | In: Animal facts for kids

Sheep were domesticated by humans around 10,000 BC. Spinning wool into thread began about 5,000 years ago. Sheep originated in the mountains of central Asia.

Depending on the breed, the mature weight for female ewes range
from 90 to 300 pounds.

There are more than 200 breeds of sheep in the world.

Sheep prefer to not drink running water.

The Navajo Churro is the oldest breed of sheep in the U.S.

George Washington raised sheep on his Mount Vernon Estates.

Sheep milk is three times higher in whey proteins than cow or goat milk making the whole milk easier to
digest.

There are About 1 billion sheep on the planet.

Sheep usually give birth once a year and have 1-3 lambs. They normally live to be about 8 years old, but can sometimes live to be as old as 20.

Sheep are born with long tails. Some producers dock their tails shortly after they are born.

In some countries, sheep are used for fighting. The sheep are trained to fight at a young age. They are chosen for their size. They start fighting when they are 3 years old.

Dolly (5 July 1996 – 14 February 2003) was a female domestic sheep remarkable in being the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell, using the process of nuclear transfer.