Ewe vs Lamb: Terminology & What is a Female Sheep Called? Jenny Graham, November 27, 2023November 27, 2023 Have you found yourself wondering, what is a female sheep called? When it comes to sheep terminology, it’s wooly simple and yet there’s lots to learn. What is a Female Sheep Called? A female sheep is most often called an Ewe. What is a Female Sheep Called Other Than Ewe? While Ewe is the most common name for female sheep, you may also find them called Gimmer, Yow, or Yearling Ewe. What Do You Call Your Female Sheep When deciding what is a female sheep called, you may find that it varies slightly around the world. However, in the United States, and on my farm, they are called Ewes. Slang Term Used for Female Sheep To be clear on what is a female sheep called, there aren’t any recognized slang terms. It’s always best to use the term Ewe, as it is the most common term for adult female sheep. What is a Female Sheep Called & How to Pronounce Ewe You not only may you be asking what is a female sheep called but also, how is Ewe pronounced? Ewe is pronounced like the long letter U or you. What is a Female Sheep Called & Other Sheep Terminology When looking at a larger group of sheep, you’ll find that there are many different ages and stages. From the ewe lamb and baby sheep to adult female sheep, adult males and everything in between, such as pregnant ewes and wethers. I think you’ll find there’s tons of sheep terminology to learn. Yearling Ewe When a ewe lamb reaches one year of age, she is then considered to be a yearling ewe until she reaches the age of two. Adult female sheep are then referred to as Ewes. Yow Yow is another name for a adult females that have given birth to lambs. However, it is not as common as the term ewe and not often what female sheep are called. Cull Yow Old female ewes (yows) or an old ewe too old for breeding. Gimmer A gimmer is a young female sheep who has not given birth to a baby lamb. It is not a widely used term and often you’ll hear the terms ewe lamb or yearling ewe used instead. Lamb A sheep under 12 months of age. This can include weaned lamb and nursing lambs. Slime Graft Sometimes lambing season brings challenges and baby sheep are orphaned. These orphaned lambs can be adopted by other ewes that are lambing by gathering some of the birthing fluids and putting them on the orphaned lamb in hopes that the ewe will assume its her lamb. Pet Lamb A pet lamb is often an orphaned lamb. Pet lambs are bottle fed lambs until about 12 weeks of age. Similar to orphaned goats, pet lambs can drink cow milk Rams The term ram is used to describe an adult male sheep that is used for mating season. A young ram under one year of age is often referred to as a ram lamb. Tup Sheep This term is used to refer to a male sheep used for mating season. Most commonly called a ram. Wethers Too many young male sheep or ram lambs can cause chaos and lots of head butting. Only the ram lambs with the best qualities are left intact for mating season. The others are made to be wethers, or castrated male sheep. Teaser A teaser is a castrated male sheep, or a wether, that is used to detect female sheep in heat. Yearling A yearling is any young sheep that has reached one year of age but is not two years of age yet. This term can be used with young sheep both female and male. Lamb (Young Sheep) Vs Mutton (Adult Sheep) From birth up to one year of age, both females and males are considered to be lambs. From year 1-2 they are yearlings. The term mutton is a general term that is used to describe and sheep over two years old, most commonly in reference to sheep meat that came from a sheep over two years of age. Mutton often has a more intense flavor as opposed to lamb meat that is milder and more tender. Store Sheep Farmers or ranchers will typically call sheep that are being kept to finish or fatten to a desirable market weight, store sheep. Store sheep are then sold to be slaughtered for meat. Abattoir An abattoir is the fancy way of saying the slaughter house. Simply put, its where the full processing of the animal takes place from start to finish. Most commonly called, the butcher. Flock The term flock refers to a group of sheep. Shepherd, Shepherdess, & Sheepherder Shepherd is the term that is used for a male that cares for sheep, while shepherdess is the term used for a female that is a herder of sheep. You may also hear the term sheepherder, which is just a broad term for someone who is a herder of sheep, male or female. Farm Vs Ranch So what’s the difference? In general, a farm is an operation that may have both crops and farm animals, and can vary in size. Whereas ranches are often larger operations that focus on the grazing of livestock on open range, or much larger pieces of land. Mule A mule is a cross breed sheep. The most common mule is a northern mule. It’s a cross between a Bluefaced Leicester Tup and a Swaledale Yow. Wool (Wool Production) There are actually two different kinds of sheep. Hair sheep, which shed naturally and wool sheep, who need to be sheared. Hair Breed of Sheep These breed of sheep are most commonly used for meat production. We raise a combination of these breeds on our homestead. Many small farms or homesteads keep these types of sheep: Barbados Black Belly St. Croix Dorper Katahdin Florida Cracker Wool Breed of Sheep These breed of sheep are used for wool production. some common breeds for wool production are: Merino Rambouillet Cormo Corriedale LIncoln Cotswold Lanolin If you look closely at the wool of a sheep, you’ll notice a waxy substance within the wool. That is lanolin, a skin protectant and conditioner. Shearling This term refers to a young sheep, usually under one year of age, before its first shearing of wool. They are also known as yearlings. More Facts About Ewes & Sheep When it comes to sheep and ewes in particular there is lots to learn. Let’s dive in, shall we? Telling the Age Many factors can be taking into consideration when determining the age of sheep. Most often, teeth are looked at. Younger sheep may still have milk teeth, whereas older sheep will have teeth that are worn down. Body condition, quality of the wool, and behavioral characteristics are also taken into consideration. The Lifespan of Female Sheep In general, adult female sheep can live to be 10-12 years of age. Ewe lambs are from birth to one year old. Mature sheep are form 8 months old to 7 years of age. Sheep are considered in old age from 7 years of age and older. Breeding Season & Reproduction of Sheep Sheep are seasonal breeders. Breeding season is triggered by the decease in day length. This is usually in the fall and winter. Sheep Gestation The gestation of sheep is about 145-150 days, or about 5 months. If breeding season is in fall or winter, this means lambs are born late winter or early spring time. Lambing & Baby Sheep Lambing season on the farm can be a challenge depending on your climate. Lambs are susceptible to the cold. They require heat lamps in cold weather. There have been many of lambing seasons where I’ve had to snuggle baby sheep to get them warm. How Many Lambs Can Ewes Have? Most commonly, ewes have either a single lamb or twins. Triplets or more are possible in some breeds and highly managed flocks. Do You Need to Separate Pregnant Sheep From the Flock? No. Pregnant ewes are perfectly fine to stay with the flock of sheep. How Much Do Female Sheep Weigh? Adult female sheep can weigh anywhere between 65 pounds to 200 pounds, depending on the breed. How Tall Are Female Sheep? Just as the weight can vary greatly with different breeds of sheep, so can their height. The smallest sheep can be 18-24 inches tall where the larger sheep can be over 36 inches tall. Can Female Sheep Live With Wethers? Yes, wethers are often kept with female sheep in order to help detect when they are in heat. Can Female Sheep Live With Rams? Yes, female sheep can live with rams, although some management practices may not keep rams with female sheep year round. On my farm they stay together. Do Ewes Have Horns? Yes, ewes have the possibility of having horns if it is found within their breed. Some breeds are naturally polled, meaning they do not have horns. Do Ewes Headbutt? Head butting is most commonly found with rams. Female sheep rarely exhibit head butting behavior but may if they feel territorial or threatened. What Is A Female Sheep Called and Other Sheep Facts In conclusion, we know that the most common term for a female sheep to be called is an ewe. There are also lots of other terms used to help describe the ages, stages, and facts about sheep. Hopefully we covered it all and you have a better understanding of sheep in general. Happy Homesteading & Shepherding Jenny @ The GrahmaStead Jenny and her family have been homesteading for over 20 years. They are currently farming on their 10 acre Florida farm, that they built from the ground up, 8 years ago, growing 100% of their meat and a lot of their vegetables. From their small herd of Aberdeen Angus Cattle, Pastured Poultry, Sheep, and seasonal pigs, they are able to raise enough meat for the family while selling extra to the community. All the while, striving to butcher at home, as much as possible, and use the bits and pieces of their harvest by preserving food, making bone broth, and (Jenny’s favorite) tanning all kinds of hides! Sources: Filley, S. (2023) Sheep and goats collection, OSU Extension Service. Available at: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/collection/sheep-goats-collection (Accessed: 27 November 2023). Homesteading Livestock