Sheep

Sheep are gentle, woolly animals that people have kept on farms for a very long time. They are covered in a thick, soft coat called wool, which farmers trim in the warm months to help the sheep stay cool and to make cosy jumpers and blankets.

Long ago, sheep came from a wild mountain animal called the mouflon. They were one of the first animals people ever farmed, because they are calm, they like to stay together, and they happily follow a leader to fresh grass.

Sheep love company. They live in a big group called a flock and feel safest when their friends are close by. If one sheep starts to walk somewhere, the others often follow, so a whole flock can move across a field together like one big woolly wave.

Sheep are herbivores, which means they eat only plants. They spend much of the day nibbling grass and clover. Then they rest and chew their food all over again, a clever trick called chewing the cud that helps them get every bit of goodness from the grass.

A baby sheep is called a lamb. Lambs are born in spring and can stand up and bounce around within minutes. They stay close to their mother, who is called a ewe, drinking her milk and learning where the tastiest grass grows.

There are more than a billion sheep in the world, living on farms almost everywhere. People look after them, giving them safe fields and fresh water, and the sheep give us wool and milk in return.