I learnt something new everyday Part 1
Lamb, Sheep, Goat and Mutton
A Lamb is the young of a sheep and lamb can be used to describe the meat of a young sheep (generally at the age of 1 years old).
Female sheep is call a ewe or dam. A male sheep with testicles is called a ram, buck or tup. Sometimes, they are also called "intact". You get the drift right? Those castrated male sheeps are call wether.
" Why do we need to castrate male sheeps? Ram lambs grow faster than ewe and wether lambs and when ram lambs are marketed at a young age (less than 5-6 months), commercial lamb buyers usually do not discriminate in price. It is more difficult to remove the pelt (skin) from a ram lamb, especially one that has started to develop secondary sex characteristics. Ram lambs that cannot be marketed by the time they are six months old should be castrated.
On the other hand, wether lambs are easier to manage and eliminate the possibilities of early and/or unwanted pregnancies. When ram lambs are kept intact, it is necessary to wean and separate them from their dams and female pen (or pasture) mates by the time they are 4 months of age. If this cannot be done, ram lambs should be castrated.
Male lambs sold for grazing or as pets should be castrated as they will be easier to manage."
Lamb, hogget, and mutton are the meat of sheep. The meat of an animal in its first year is lamb; that of an older sheep is hogget and later mutton.
The meat of a young goat is call kid or cabrito and meat of an older goat is called chevon or mutton (some parts of the world like in singapore.)
Female goats are referred to as does or nannies, intact males as bucks or billies; their offspring are kids. Castrated males are wethers.
How to differentiate between a goat and a sheep. Although they have many similiarities but they are two distinct different families.
1) Sheep has 54 chromosomes and goat has 60. So although occasionally they might cross breed but fertile hybrid sheep-goat are rare.
2) Sheep's tail hangs down and goat's tail point up!
3) Goat are natural browers that prefer to eat leaves, twigs, vines and shrubs. Sheeps are grazer that prefer to eat short tender grasses or clovers.
4) Goat are more independent and curious. Sheeps are more distant and aloof. Sheeps likes to flock together in a group and would be very agitated if they are seperated.
5) Most goats have hair coats that do not require shearing or combing. Most sheep grow wool and need to be sheared annually. Sheep have an upper lip that is divided by a distinct philtrum (groove). The goat does not. Male goats have glands beneath their tail. Sheep have face or tear glands beneath their eyes and foot or scent glands between the toes. Male goats develop a distinct odor as they grow; sexually mature rams have much less of an odor.
6) Most goats naturally have horns. Some goats have beards. Many breeds of sheep are naturally hornless (polled). Some sheep have manes. Goat horns are more narrow, upright, and less curved than sheep horns. Sheep tend to curl their horns in loops on the sides of their heads.
