Rams are the name given to wild representatives of small ruminants. In agriculture the name domestic sheep is used. Animals differ in size, wool properties and horn length. Agricultural sheep inherited the herd instinct and seasonality of reproduction from their wild ancestors. As a result of selection, heavy meat, long-haired and dairy breeds appeared. The idea of what a wild sheep looks like gradually became smoother.
Description of animals
A ram is a cloven-hoofed animal of the class of mammals.8 thousand years ago, man tamed wild sheep, began to eat milk and meat, and made clothes from wool. The Latin name of the animal is “ovis ammon”. The Mongolian name "argali" translates as "wild sheep".
Appearance of the ram:
- weight - 70-160 kilograms;
- height at withers - 55-100 centimeters;
- body length - 60-110 centimeters;
- profile straight or with a hump.
Weight and body size vary depending on the breed. Females weigh less - up to one hundred kilograms. The minimum tail length for rams is 9.5 centimeters. The horns of mountain sheep are sharp at the ends, twisted in a spiral and reach 190 centimeters in length. The horns of females are shorter - 50 centimeters.
Some body parts of domestic and wild sheep differ:
| Sign | At a domestic sheep | At the wild sheep |
| Wool | Spun in rings | Lays flat |
| Horns | Only in males, rarely in females | In males and females |
| Structure of the skull | Narrow eye sockets | Oval eye sockets |
The brain size of a domestic sheep is smaller than that of a wild sheep. Domesticated animals also have longer tails. Rams have a special jaw structure. The canines and incisors are located only at the bottom. Due to the inclination of the incisors at an obtuse angle to the jaw, sheep bite off grass more easily than other herbivores. In sheep farming, the male is called a ram, the female in the general sense is called a sheep, and not a sexually mature female is called a bright one. The baby of domestic and wild sheep is called a lamb.
Wild sheep have a variety of colors: light yellow, red-brown, dark gray. The dark upper body is separated from the light belly by a dark stripe. The color of females is lighter than that of males.In the summer, spots appear and the coat becomes shorter. In winter, short hair gives way to long hair.
Pure black or white color is characteristic only of farm animals.
Varieties of rams and sheep
Wild animals differ in external features: the length and curl of the horns, body size, color. Types of wild sheep:
- argali;
- urian;
- mouflon.
In nature, they live on an area of 30 kilometers, in winter they feed closer to the valleys and gather in a herd of up to a thousand heads. Wild breeds of sheep are called aboriginal, and domestic breeds are called cultivated. In agriculture, the name common sheep is also used. Animals are divided according to productivity:
- meat;
- dairy;
- woolen;
- greasy.
There are also mixed types (which provide two products) - meat-greasy and meat-wool. Domestic sheep are descendants of mouflon mountain sheep. From their wild ancestors they retained the herd instinct and obedience to the leader. The largest and strongest horned ram becomes the leader. The horned sheep is sometimes found among dairy and meat species.
Habitat
Wild sheep live in Europe, Asia, the Mediterranean islands and the USA. Mouflons are found in Sardinia, Corsica and Cyprus. India, Iran, Kazakhstan and the Caucasus are countries where Asian varieties are common. A wide range of wildlife habitats in North America - from Canada to the California coast.
Wild sheep are found in the following areas:
- protected ridge Nuratau in Uzbekistan;
- on the hills, rocky plateaus of eastern Mongolia;
- in Khunjirab National Park in Pakistan;
- in the Damodar Kunda and Dolpo region of Nepal;
- on the eastern slopes of the Tien Shan mountains;
- in the Pamirs, in the Vakhdzhir valley in Afghanistan.
In Russia, wild sheep are common in eastern Siberia.The main natural habitat of rams is mountains. They rarely live in deserts. Domestic sheep have been raised since ancient times in Armenia. In the modern world, sheep farms are located in Australia, the islands of New Zealand, and Great Britain. Sheep wool produced in the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, China, Tibet and the southern regions of Russia is famous for its high quality.
What do sheep eat?
According to their feeding method, sheep are classified as herbivores. Wildlife eat the sedge and promote high yields of beneficial grasses. Argali in Kazakhstan feed more variedly: flowers, fruits and twigs. They make up for the lack of mineral salts by consuming saline soil. Herds travel long distances during drought to reach lakes and drink. In winter, they drink water from melted mountain streams.
Diet of domestic sheep:
- green food - forms the basis of nutrition in the summer; grass contains the necessary vitamins and microelements and replaces compound feed. Sheep eat meadow grasses: hogweed, clover, timothy. At the end of summer, sheep obtain nutrients from green rye and oats;
- silage - green mass, crushed and canned in a vacuum, replaces succulent feed in winter. Silage consists of corn, sunflower, and vegetable tops. The product is high in calories and nutritious, like fresh grass;
- hay, straw - alfalfa, clover, barley and oat stalks are dried to feed sheep in winter. Universal plant food retains nutrients when properly prepared and stored;
- vegetables - sheep get fiber from root vegetables and melons. Fodder beets, pumpkins, zucchini and carrots contain vitamins necessary for the health of male sheep and the development of lambs.Vegetables are necessarily included in the diet of animals that produce milk and wool;
- concentrated feed - grains of wheat, oatmeal, barley, corn, bran.
The sheep is a ruminant animal with a four-chambered stomach. The digestive system of sheep is characterized by numerous microflora and is designed to digest tough plant foods.
Behavior in the natural environment
Rams feed during the day and rest at night. In hot weather, they spend the day in the shade, and forage for food at dusk. The grazing order for domestic sheep is based on this behavior. Females with cubs gather in separate groups. Males live alone or also form a separate group with a hierarchy. It is led by the strongest ram, who has proven his superiority in fights.
Adult females predominate in wild populations. Young animals make up 20 percent of the group. The rams stay close to each other so as not to lose any members of the herd. Animals are sociable not only in their own group. They also make contact with representatives of other communities.
Groups with males migrate in search of food, and in the summer they climb high on the mountain slopes. At high altitudes they are not bothered by insects. Migration also begins due to poaching, fires, and hunger.
If one of the members of the herd notices danger, he makes a sign to the others - he makes a low vocal sound. After the signal, the group moves to a safe place.
Natural enemies
In nature, sheep are hunted by:
- wolves;
- coyotes;
- snow leopards;
- leopards;
- Snow leopards;
- cheetahs;
- eagles;
- golden eagles.
When attacked by predators, lonely sheep freeze and do not move until the danger has passed. Females and males flee in groups. With long legs, they develop high speed on flat and rough terrain.Young animals and females jump high. Heavy males have a hard time getting off their feet. It is difficult for them to escape in deep snow.
Rams do not attack first and fight back as a last resort. Peaceful animals fight with their horns only among themselves.
Reproduction and lifespan
Rams and sheep live 10-12 years. The breeding season for wild sheep is called the rut. Males are polygamous and reach sexual maturity at 5 years. Females become sexually mature at 2 years. The inequality is explained by the fact that the male must get stronger and produce healthy offspring, and the female’s task is to give birth to more cubs and increase the population.
For the right to own females, rams fight in duels - they clash their horns. Typically, large six-year-old males drive young relatives out of the herd during the females' estrus. The rut lasts from October to January, and for another two months after its end, males can walk in a herd with females.
The duration of pregnancy is 5.5 months. Childbirth takes place from March to April. More often, one lamb is born, but two babies in a litter are not uncommon. It is less common for five lambs to be born at the same time.
The weight of a newborn lamb is 2.7-4.6 kilograms. The first day after birth, the sheep and baby spend the first day alone, and the next day they go for a walk. The cubs quickly gain weight and add 20-40 kilograms per year. At three months, lambs develop milk teeth, and at six months, molars. Gradually they switch to eating grass, but continue to drink mother's milk.
How to distinguish a female from a male?
External signs by which sheep are distinguished:
- size - males are noticeably taller and larger;
- horns - the decoration does not always crown the head of females; their horns are shorter. Rams have horns twisted into a spiral with two turns, and sheep have one incomplete turn.
In hornless species, the female can be recognized by her udder. In the wild, males have thicker hair on the nape, which encircles the neck in a ring.
How animals sleep
Sheep sleep standing and lying down. Deep sleep lasts 3-4 hours in a supine position. Drowsiness sets in while they are standing. Herd animals fall completely asleep while lying down when they feel safe. Sheep lie on their sides, as in this position it is convenient for them to fold their legs.
