Sheep

Sheep (a genus of rams) are the most widespread of all horned animals. Nearly 40 varieties have been described. All sheep are now considered breeds of a single species with two subgroups:

• the Eurasian mouflon (wild sheep) and
• the North American bighorn sheep,

Since all members of this breed group can interbreed without restriction, and the differences are based solely on varying body size and horn development in the males, the goat is the first domesticated animal of humankind and was probably domesticated 13,000 years ago. Sheep followed at least 10,000 years ago. Due to their diverse uses, sheep and goats are among the oldest domesticated animals. The domestic sheep evolved from Eurasian wild sheep breeds.

World sheep population in millions (1999)

Source: Development Studies / edited by Margarete Payer / compiled by Alois Payer

Sheep have spread rapidly in tropical and subtropical regions due to their great adaptability to a wide variety of climatic and geographical conditions. Meat sheep are more common in countries with high rainfall, while wool sheep are more prevalent in drier climates. Sheep are undemanding. They can graze easily on steppes and scrubland, especially on plateaus.

Top ten in the world sheep population (2019)

Source: FAOSTAT

The male animal is called a ram, or buck; after castration, it is called a heifer, ewe, or lamb. The female animal is a ewe (sire), and the young animal until it reaches its first year is called a lamb (ram, ewe, or ewe). Age can be determined by the teeth. Life expectancy depends on tooth wear, with a maximum of 10 to 12 years, and an average of 5 to 6 years for ewes. European sheep farming, especially in Germany, has declined significantly in recent times.

While sheep, and even more so goats, play a rather minor role in German agriculture today, they have great economic importance worldwide. Sheep are used as a source of meat and for wool production. There is also a market for the milk of these small ruminants. By grazing on grassland, ruminants, due to their nature, utilize nutrients that are unusable for humans. These nutrients become available to humans through their meat and milk.

Sheep population in the European Union in millions (2019)

Source: Eurostat, last updated: 12/01/2021

Federal Statistical Office: "The sheep population in Germany stood at approximately 1.48 million sheep on the survey date of November 3, 2020. This represents a decrease of 77,700 animals (-5.0 %) compared to November 2019. Since November 3, 2018, the population has declined by 91,100 sheep, or 5.8 %. In contrast, the sheep population in Germany was 9.69 million in 1900. The number of farms keeping sheep, the largest number of which (almost 2,000) is located in Bavaria, decreased by 3.6 % to approximately 9,500 farms.".

According to preliminary results from the sheep census as of November 3, 2020, the number of sheep decreased by 4.4 percent (-11,600 animals) to 250,600 compared to the previous year, as reported by the Bavarian State Office for Statistics. Approximately 2,000 farms were counted, representing a 1.8 percent increase in the number of sheep farmers. On average, the farms kept 124 animals, eight fewer than the previous year.

The Baden-Württemberg State Statistical Office counted 207,600 sheep at the beginning of November. These were distributed across a total of 1,200 farms. This is 6,900 fewer sheep than at the same time last year. The population has thus decreased by 3.2 percent. According to the State Statistical Office, the sheep population in Baden-Württemberg has never been this low since 2011.

Sheep farmers in the European Union further reduced their flocks last year, according to preliminary data from the Statistical Office of the European Union (EurostatAccording to the report, a total of 82.54 million sheep were kept in the 19 countries that conduct livestock surveys in December 2019, a decrease of 1.59 million head or 1.9 percent compared to twelve months earlier. The number of ewes older than one year also declined by a similar amount, by two percent to 60.54 million animals.

Today, nomads in Iran still practice sheep herding and breeding, much as they have since ancient times. This hasn't changed much. Although they make up only 3-41 million of Iran's population, livestock farming remains largely in the hands of nomads and semi-nomads.

The exceptionally favorable conditions found in Iran, which are virtually unparalleled in any other country, produce particularly high-quality sheep intestines. With an area of 1,648,000 km² (compared to Germany's 365,974 km²), Iran is a country encompassing a wide variety of terrain, from lush green meadows to stony, sandy, or salt deserts.

Mountains and high-altitude, desert-like basins are the dominant landscape features. Iran is also a land of climatic contrasts. Unlike Europe, all climate zones can be found there year-round. These conditions, along with unspoiled nature and harsh weather, provide the basis for the free-range rearing of large, healthy flocks of sheep.

Animal meal and concentrated feed are not used as supplements and are unknown in Iran. Islamic religion forbids the feeding of animal meal because it contaminates the animal, rendering it unsuitable for human consumption. For these reasons, Iranian sheep intestines can be described as high-quality organic products, free from any additives.