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Sheep

Scientific Name: Ovis Aries
Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivore
Size: 90-140cm (35-55in)
Weight: 40-130kg (88-298lbs)
Top Speed: 40km/h (25mph)
Life Span: 5-10 years
Lifestyle: Herd

What does a sheep look like?
There are nearly 1,300 different species of sheep throughout the world with around 200 of these sheep being domestic sheep. All sheep species tend to be fairly similar in appearance but differ in size and weight depending on the species of sheep. The fleece of the sheep (the sheep's hair or wool) is one of the most widely used and common materials in the world.

Sheep video.

Where do sheep live?
It is thought that the domestic sheep originated from central Europe and Asia. Today, there are at least 1 billion sheep on the planet, with commercial sheep farming most commonly found in New Zealand, Australia, parts of North America and the United Kingdom.

What does a sheep eat?
Sheep are medium-sized herbivorous mammals that graze on grass and berries. Sheep are mainly farmed for their meat and wool but sheep are also occasionally farmed for their milk (although milking sheep is much rarer than milking goats or cows). Due to their vegetarian diet, sheep have a complex digestive system that is made of four chambers, allowing sheep to break down cellulose from stems, leaves, and seed hulls into simpler carbohydrates. The digestive system of a sheep is similar to other animals that have a plant-based diet such as goats, deer and cows.