- Male – ram
- Female – ewe
- Baby – lamb
In early times sheep were used for milk and meat, while wool was taken and exported to Flanders and
Florence. Exports fell due to high taxes, so cloth was made in the UK by immigrant Flemish weavers.
During the Black Death, in 1348, the population fell and land reverted to pasture and sheep farming. There
was a boom in the wool industry in the 15th century, and then, during the 16th century it became difficult to
sell due to disputes in Europe. In the 18th century meat needs improved.
In the recession of the 1930s, many sheep farmers were forced to give up farming, and during World War II there
was an increase in arable acreage and a decline in sheep farming, which only continued on hills where no cultivation
was possible.
Nowadays sheep are once again becoming popular for milk, and the wool market is improving. There are 67 pure breeds
of sheep in Britain today.
Products
Meat is an important ingredient in our diet, and lamb supplies us with many vital vitamins and proteins.
Wool is widely used in the clothing industry, and is also used in the furniture trade for chair covers and upholstery.
Furthermore, many carpets are also manufactured from wool.
Sheep's milk is becoming increasingly important in Britain for making cheese and yoghurt.
By-products of meat production include: skin, used for clothing and furniture; soluble sutures made from sheep's gut, which
is also used for musical instruments and sport goods; and lanolin, a substance made from the fleece that is used in the
cosmetic industry.
Facts
- Sheep often eat facing in the same direction and always with the wind blowing towards them.
- A man who looks after sheep is called a 'shepherd'.
- There are two types of sheep: hill sheep, which are very agile with long woolly fleeces, and lowland sheep, which are fatter and shorter.
- Sheep can be milked and their milk made into cheese – such as feta and rochefort.
- Sheep are sheared in the summer to keep them cool. If left, their wool would fall out.
- Their fleece can weigh between 3 and 14kg.