95^ Rural School Leaflet. 



A FIRST LESSON ON SHEEP 



Digestive Organs and Feeding Habits 



elmer s. savage 



Zoologists are not agreed as to the exact origin of the native sheep. 

 Whatever their origin, all members of the wild-sheep tribes are moun- 

 tain and highland loving animals. Our domestic sheep have inherited 

 this peculiarity, preferring cool climates and highlands and open ranges, 

 quickly suffering when, closely housed for any length of time. 



Our common sheep is a good illustration of the influence of domes- 

 tication. The modern animal has few characters that would indicate 

 its descent from wild species. Sheep have been under subjection by 

 man from the earliest times. Abraham's wealth was measured by his 

 sheep, oxen, and camels. From the fact that they have so long been 

 under domestication in many different countries, it naturally arises 

 that we have many different breeds for different climates, uses, and 

 conditions of environment. The breeds of modern sheep are classified 

 according to their uses, whether for the production of wool or of meat. 

 But we will leave this classification and the uses of their products for a 

 later lesson. 



The sheep belongs to that large order of quadrupeds known as the 

 Ruminantia. This for the reason that they are all ruminating or cud- 

 chewing animals, having four stomachs, cloven hoofs, and incisors — 

 or front teeth — on the lower jaw only. The incisors on the upper jaw 

 are wanting, being replaced by a hard, tough pad against which the lower 

 front teeth are shut, thus cutting off the grass from the ground. 



In order to better understand the care, management, and feeding of 

 sheep, it is well to have at least a partial knowledge of the organs of 

 nutrition. The first of these organs are the teeth. They are truly 

 organs of digestion in that they sever the food from its roots when the 

 sheep is grazing, and serve to grind it up and mix it with the saliva. This 

 saliva is secreted in the mouth, and aids in digestion. 



Sheep have two sets of teeth; first a temporar}^ set, called the decid- 

 uous teeth, ineaning those that fall out; and later a permanent set: 

 We will study in detail the incisors, or front teeth, only. The temporary- 

 set comes into the mouth within three weeks after birth, and are eight 

 in number. At the end of thirteen to fifteen months after birth, the 

 middle pair of these temporar}- incisors will have been replaced by a 

 pair of permanent incisors; at the end of two years or a little more, the 

 next two — called the inner middles —will be in place ; and then in another 



