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Mouflon
Adult weight : 110 kg (242 lbs)
Maximum longevity : 23 years
Female maturity :548 days
Male maturity : 914 days
Gestation : 146 days
Weaning : 182 days
Litter size : 2
Litters per year : 1
Interval between litters : 365 days
Weight at birth : 2.37 kg (5.214 lbs)
Weight at weaning : 17.5 kg (38.5 lbs)
Mouflon
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Subfamily : Caprinae
Species : Ovis aries
The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) descends from the Mouflon, and in 2003 evidence is proposed that Ovis aries first got domesticated about 9000 BC in Iraq and has been a source of meat, milk, wool and hides since then. There still exist two populations of wild Mouflons: the Asiatic Mouflon and the European Mouflon, although the last may be feral as some sources suggest. The domestic sheep has a highly developed herding or flocking instinct, there is no leader among the sheep. This is quite an advantage, as a shepherd is able to control a large group of sheep. Ovis Aries has a complex stomach system which allows it to digest highly fibrous food that many other mammals cannot. Estimates are there are over 1 billion sheep in the world. The Oklahoma State University has an excellent page with all different breeds of sheep (282). Links
Breeds of livestock - Oklahoma State University
1. domestic sheep, Ovis aries -- (any of various breeds raised for wool or edible meat or skin)
domestic sheep
Ovis aries
(Source WordNet)