Sheep Terminology

When sheep people gather around to chat, there are certain terms they use to talk about sheep. Here's common ones....

Sheep

Ovine -- scientific term pertaining to sheep.

Flock -- name for a group of sheep.

Ewe -- a female sheep.

Ram -- an intact adult male. Also called a tup in some regions. 

Lamb -- a young sheep, from newborn up to about one year of age. 

Bummer lamb -- an orphan or rejected lamb.

Wether -- castrated male sheep.

Gimmer -- a female breeding sheep over one year old who has not yet had her first lamb. She is no longer considered a lamb but hasn't become a full blown ewe. 

Hogget -- a year old sheep that has not yet been shorn or is between 12-18 months of. Often used to description an older lamb intended for slaughter rather than breeding. 

Shearling -- a young sheep prior to its first shearing.

Bellwether -- the lead sheep who is traditionally belled (wears a bell around its neck).

Estrus or heat -- the part of the female reproductive cycle when the ewe is receptive to the ram.

Tupping -- the act of a ram breeding a ewe. 

Lambing -- the birthing of a lamb. 

Woolie -- a wool producing sheep.

Haired or hair sheep -- short coated sheep that doesn't not produce usable wool. 

Banding -- the placing of a tight rubber band around the base of the scrotum for the purpose of  castration, or around the tail for the purpose of docking.

Docking -- removal of part of the tail.

Browse (vs graze) -- the eating of woody brush including leaves and twigs.

Graze -- the eating of low growth plants including grasses and forbs.

Forbs -- broadleaf herbaceous plants.

Cud -- ingested food that a sheep regurgitates in order to chew again.

Bloat -- the over accumulation of gas in the rumen (part of the stomach).

Bottle jaw -- edema under the lower jaw associated with parasite infestation.

Scrapie -- a fatal brain disease of sheep.

Mutton -- meat from a sheep either over 1 year of age or 2 years of age, depending upon which country you're talking about.

Lamb -- meat from a sheep under 1 year of age or 2 years of age, depending upon which country you're talking about.