Many people know that sheep and ram are considered representatives of the same species. A ram is a male sheep, while a ewe is a female. At the same time, not everyone can answer the question of what a small baby ram or a baby sheep is called. As a result, people use a variety of terms - little lamb, baby sheep, ewe. Specific concepts depend on the gender of the animal. But there is also a generally accepted term.
Official correct name
Adult animals have a variety of names - it all depends on physiology and age:
- a sexually mature male is called a ram;
- a young uncovered female is called “bright”;
- to define a pregnant individual, the term “pregnant ewe” is used;
- An adult, sexually mature female that has offspring is usually called a sheep or ewe.
Newborn baby animals, regardless of their gender, are called lambs. From 2-3 months, the offspring are usually divided by sex. From now on they are called lambs and brights.
Religious origin of the word
The term "lamb" may be used to refer to a baby sheep. Sometimes it is also called the lamb of God or the sacrificial ram. It was the concept of "lamb" that was used in the tenth century to refer to young sheep. Its origin is connected with the concept “lamb”, which existed in the common Slavic language. In the Christian religion, the phrase “Lamb of God” was used to refer to Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sins of people by sacrificing himself.
Popular misnomers
Perhaps many have heard such names as “ram” or “sheep”. The first term is still acceptable to use, but in this case the word “lamb” is more suitable. It is a male lamb over 1-1.5 years old. The word “ovchenok” does not exist in the Russian literary language at all.
When a child becomes a sheep or ram
Newborn animals are better called lambs. When they grow up a little and it is possible to accurately determine their gender, it is better to use the concepts of “lamb” and “lamb”.Usually the terms “sheep” and “ram” are used at 1-1.5 years.
Facts about these animals
The origin and lifestyle of the animals in question are associated with many interesting facts:
- The first lambs were domesticated in Turkey more than 8 thousand years ago. There is an opinion that their ancestors were mouflons. People began to domesticate sheep in order to obtain meat and wool.
- Sheep cannot remember the way home. Many scientists explain this by not having very high mental abilities of animals. However, some believe that this is due to insufficiently good orientation of individuals on the ground. There is also a theory that this is due to poor vision.
- There is no leader in a flock of sheep. This is due to a clearly expressed herd instinct, which prevents the selection of a dominant individual. Shepherds solve this problem without difficulty. They let a goat or male goat graze. Thanks to this, it is possible to get both a leader and a guide who will show the way home.
- Cheese and sheep's milk are considered very healthy for people. They have been highly valued since the times of Ancient Egypt. The oldest recipe for sheep's cheese, which is more than 2 thousand years old, was also found. This product contains a lot of proteins, potassium and calcium. In addition, sheep's milk cheeses contain a large amount of folic acid and vitamins B, A, E. This product is recommended for use by children, nursing women and people who suffer from lactose intolerance.
- A flock of sheep is usually called a “flock”. She is tended by a man called a shepherd. He often uses specially trained dogs for this. With their help, it is possible to collect animals, protect them from predators and find missing individuals.
- The longest chain link fence was built in the south-eastern regions of Australia.Its length is 5614 kilometers. This structure is almost completely continuous - only occasionally it is interrupted by the highway. The construction of such a barrier was completed in 1885. Its main task is considered to be protecting sheep from wild dingoes. However, due to the lack of predators outside the fence, there were a large number of rabbits and kangaroos competing for pasture. To protect against them, another fence had to be built. Its length was 3253 kilometers.
Thus, a baby sheep is commonly called a “lamb.” Other concepts are considered not entirely correct. As they grow older, the terms “ram” and “sheep” are used to refer to animals.
