Deutsch: Hausschaf / Español: Ovis orientalis aries / Português: Ovelha / Français: Mouton / Italiano: Ovis aries
Sheep (Ovis aries) are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries. Numbering a little over one billion, domestic sheep are also the most numerous species of sheep. A male sheep is called a ram and a female sheep is called a ewe.
In an industrial context, "sheep" typically refers to domesticated animals that are raised for their wool, meat, and milk. The sheep industry includes all aspects of raising, breeding, and processing sheep for various products. Some examples of industries related to sheep include:
- Sheep farming and husbandry
- Sheep wool production and processing
- Sheep meat processing and packaging
- Sheep milk production and processing
- Sheep skin and leather processing
- Sheep genetic and breeding services
- Sheep dairy product manufacturing and sales.