Understanding & Raising Sheep

Summary: Sheep are colloquially accepted as some of the dumbest farm animals in existence—it’s no compliment when someone refers to you as a “sheep,” or phonates a condescending “baa” in your direction. Ironically, this common insult tends to suggest that the many city-dwelling laypeople who wield their minuscule knowledge of animal husbandry as an epithet get most or all of their ideas from television and the movies. Perhaps herd mentality is a sign of low intelligence then…or perhaps one might want to recant such beliefs and take a moment to learn the truth about the everyday life of the noble, woolly sheep.

In these free videos on raising farm animals, learn some of the basic facts about sheep. An expert naturalist will discuss the major characteristics of this bovine species, including different types of sheep and wool. She will also give practical advice on raising sheep, such as how to handle and breed the animals, when to shear your sheep, and how to spot signs of disease.

Who knows—after watching these clips, you may find the word “sheep” to have a whole new meaning.