Why do sheep form flocks

Flock dynamics are apparent in groups of four or more as evidenced by willingness to follow a leader or flee in unison.

When escape is prevented, even a ewe may charge or threaten by hoof stomping. Separation from the flock can cause stress and panic. Isolation from other sheep can cause severe stress and should be avoided. Mirrors can be used in the absence of other sheep. Males in rut will physically challenge one another for social rank and breeding privileges. Social rank depends on the presence and size of horns, body mass, and height at the withers and hocks.

Age may also play a role, because the mortality of lambs from yearling ewes is extremely high. Higher-ranking males concentrate on courting females when in rut and do not graze to the extent lower-ranking rams do.

Mortality in rams is five times that in ewes. Generally, subordinates and lower-ranking rams are excluded from breeding, unless lower-ranking animals outnumber the higher-ranking male and serve to distract or otherwise occupy him this need not be cooperative. One thing that helps the sheep situation is to remove the hood on Harry's head to allow the other sheep to see his face. Sooner or later the hoods will need to go on but by that time this seems to help slowly introduce the new sheep Harry, who isn't new at all, but the others think he is into the flock in the drying pen.

Besides, by that time everyone will be blanketed and the sheep can adjust to that before the terrifying hoods go on. We have talked about some of the basic instincts of sheep. In order to better understand why sheep do what they do is best to realize the following as well:. Another phenomenon that always fascinates me is that a ewe, docile and scared of a dog all year long will become extremely aggressive toward a dog right after birth. Sometimes, although not often, the ewe will be aggressive towards a shepherd, so it is best to be prepared.

We leave the dog in the office when dealing with birthing ewes. Finally, never trust a ram, leave him alone, do not play or tease a ram at all. If you play with the ram by scratching it's head or push on its head then you are challenging the animal and it is only normal as a ram thinks to meet your challenge and put you in your proper place in the pecking order.

A playful ram becomes a mean ram in time and he is a liability that can be expensive in terms of injuries to yourself or your pocket book when medical or lawsuit bills are paid.

Leave the ram alone, but always be sure where he is. If you are visiting a flock and you enter a pen or pasture ask the shepherd if there is a ram present and identify where he is and continue to watch him as long as you are in the pen or pasture. Friday, January 22, A study revealed that sheep can recognize up to 50 other sheep faces, and remember them for two years.

In this study, sheep learned to distinguish between 25 pairs of sheep by associating one sheep from each pair with a food reward. The sheep were tested at various time intervals afterwards, and it was found that sheep could remember the faces that lead to a food reward up to two years later. Other studies have shown they are capable of learning and remembering how to navigate complex mazes. They use plants and other substances that otherwise hold no nutritional value to them to prevent or treat disease, and teach their young to do the same.

Sheep are capable of experiencing a wide range of emotions, just as humans do. Many studies have highlighted the ability for sheep to feel afraid, angry, bored, sad and happy. Not only are sheep able to feel basic emotions, but their feelings can be very complex and include interactions between emotions and cognition. For example, believe it or not, scientific studies have shown that sheep can be pessimists and optimists! This groove is called a philtrum.

Sheep are very picky grazers, also referred to as browsers, and prefer to eat only the best vegetation. The philtrum allows them to select the leaves and other vegetation that they like.

The calculator then estimates the numbers of ewes and wethers over six years. Outputs include a summary line graph of stock numbers over time, yearly stock numbers by age and commentary on the impact of sales on your breeding flock. The calculator also determines the impact of keeping wethers, changing the ratio of merino ewes mated to merino rams and terminal sires and changing your weaning percentage on your breeding flock numbers. The tool can be used to compare two scenarios side by side.

You also have the ability to alter stock numbers and sales in any year. View the Sheep flock structure calcutator. She retains the majority of wethers until six years old and sells culled lambs, maidens after classing and does an age cull each year until ewes are six years old and then sells them as full mouths.

Susan decides that she wants to sell all Merino ewes at hogget age so she can take advantage of good prices.