# Domestic Sheep (*Ovis aries*) > The domestic sheep is one of the oldest and most widespread of all livestock, kept for wool, meat, and milk on pasture across every inhabited continent. A gentle, flock-living herbivore that grazes on grasses, forbs, and hay, it weighs anywhere from 45 to 160 kg depending on breed and stands about 1.2 m long. Domestic sheep usually live 10 to 12 years, and pet animals can live longer. - **Category:** Mammal - **Conservation status (IUCN):** Domesticated - **Range:** Domesticated worldwide; wild mouflon ancestor from Cyprus, Anatolia, and Fertile Crescent. - **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/sheep/ - **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16 ## Scientific classification - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Bovidae - **Genus:** Ovis ## Facts at a glance | Attribute | Value | | --- | --- | | Scientific name | Ovis aries | | Diet | Herbivore — grasses, forbs, and hay | | Habitat | Pasture and rangeland on every inhabited continent | | Lifespan | 10–12 years (longer for pet sheep) | | Weight | 45–160 kg (100–350 lb); breeds vary enormously | | Top speed | Up to 40 km/h (25 mph) in flight | | Conservation status | Domesticated (IUCN) | ## Origins and domestication The domestic sheep was one of the first animals humans ever tamed, descended from wild mouflon in the Near East around 10,000 years ago. Early flocks were kept mainly for meat, milk, and skins, with woolly fleeces developing gradually through selective breeding. From these beginnings the sheep spread with farming peoples across Europe, Asia, and eventually the whole world. Today it is one of the most numerous livestock animals on the planet, raised on pasture and rangeland everywhere people farm. ## Breeds and their uses Centuries of selective breeding have produced more than a thousand sheep breeds suited to different climates and purposes. Wool breeds such as the Merino are prized for fine, soft fleece, while others like the Suffolk are bred mainly for meat and some, such as East Friesians, for milk. Sizes vary enormously, from small primitive breeds to heavy rams reaching up to 160 kg. This diversity lets sheep farming succeed everywhere from lowland pastures to rugged upland moors. ## Grazing and diet Sheep are herbivores that graze on grasses, clover and other forbs, and hay, using a specialised digestive system to break down fibrous plants. As ruminants they ferment food in a four-chambered stomach and chew the cud, extracting nutrients from vegetation people cannot eat. Their narrow muzzles let them graze plants very close to the ground, which is why grazing must be managed to avoid over-cropping a pasture. Rotating sheep between fields keeps both the flock and the grassland healthy. ## Flock behaviour and temperament Sheep are strongly social animals with a powerful instinct to stay together, and an isolated sheep quickly becomes stressed. This flocking behaviour is a natural defence, since staying in a group makes it harder for a predator to single out one individual. Far from being simple, sheep can recognise the faces of many other sheep and of people, and they remember them for years. They are generally docile and easily herded, which is exactly why they were among the first animals to be domesticated. ## Wool, husbandry, and the farming year Most wool breeds are sheared once a year, usually in spring, both to harvest the fleece and to keep the animals comfortable through summer. The farming calendar revolves around lambing, when ewes give birth after a gestation of about five months, typically to one or two lambs. Shepherds also manage feeding, foot care, and protection from parasites and predators throughout the year. Well-cared-for sheep live around 10 to 12 years, and pet or hobby-farm animals often live longer. ## Sheep and people Few animals have shaped human life as deeply as the sheep, providing clothing, food, and even parchment across thousands of years of history. Wool built major trading economies, and sheep farming still defines the landscape and culture of upland regions in Britain and beyond. Beyond farming, sheep appear throughout religion, language, and folklore, from nursery rhymes to proverbs. As a fully domesticated animal, the sheep depends on human care rather than living wild. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long have sheep been domesticated? Sheep were among the first animals to be domesticated, tamed from wild mouflon in the Near East around 10,000 years ago. Early flocks were kept for meat, milk, and skins before woolly fleeces were bred over time. ### What do sheep eat? Sheep are herbivores that graze on grasses, clover and other forbs, and hay. As ruminants, they ferment plant matter in a four-chambered stomach and chew the cud to extract nutrients. ### How much does a sheep weigh? Weight varies enormously by breed, from around 45 kg in smaller breeds to up to 160 kg in the largest rams. This range reflects the more than a thousand sheep breeds developed for different climates and purposes. ### Are sheep intelligent? Sheep are smarter than their reputation suggests. They can recognise and remember the faces of dozens of other sheep and of humans for years, and they show clear emotional responses and strong social bonds. ### Why do sheep stay in flocks? Flocking is a natural defence: staying together makes it harder for predators to pick off a single animal. The instinct is so strong that an isolated sheep becomes stressed, which is also what makes sheep easy to herd. ### How long do sheep live? Domestic sheep usually live about 10 to 12 years. Pet sheep and those on hobby farms, spared the pressures of commercial farming, often live longer. ## Sources - [IUCN Red List — Ovis aries.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Ovis%20aries&searchType=species) - [Animal Diversity Web — Ovis aries. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ovis_aries/) --- Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/sheep/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.