Sheep Facts
The sheep is a domesticated ruminant mammal kept as livestock for wool, meat and milk, and its wool is the animal fiber people use most.
- Class
- Mammal
About the sheep
About 1.2 billion domestic sheep were counted in 2019. Their likely ancestor is the wild mouflon of Asia and Europe, and Iran sits near the center of where they were domesticated. As one of the earliest farm animals, sheep have long supplied fleece, meat and milk. Wool is usually collected by shearing. Meat from young animals is called lamb, and meat from older ones mutton.
Raising sheep shaped farming and cloth making across Eurasia for thousands of years. Today Australia, New Zealand, the British Isles, South Africa and parts of South America are closely tied to sheep production, while China and India keep some of the largest flocks. Sheep are also raised for pelts, for dairy, and as research animals in science.
Did you know?
- A castrated male sheep is called a wether.
- An intact male sheep is a ram, sometimes called a tup.
- Sheep are even-toed ungulates in the order Artiodactyla.
Questions about the sheep
What is a female sheep called?
An adult female sheep is called a ewe, and a young sheep is a lamb.
Where did sheep come from?
Their likely wild ancestor is the mouflon, found in Asia and Europe, and Iran lies near the center of domestication.
Sources
- Wikidata Q7368, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Sheep, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.