The MOST basic terminology regarding sheep:

Male:    Ram
Female:    Ewe
Baby:    Lamb
Group of sheep:    Flock

More terminology (definitions) used by shepherds about sheep.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

  • Afterbirth - the placenta, which comes out after the lamb is born.



  • Anthelmintic - One of several chemical drugs used by shepherds to kill or expell worms found in the intestines of sheep.

  • Bag - The udder of a ewe.

  • Bloat -


  • Breed - Noun: A like group of animals that have been bred to exhibit certain definable, inherited traits, of which records are kept with a breed association. Verb: The mating of animals.
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  • Breed - Verb: The mating of animals.


  • Broken mouth - A term describing the condition in which older ewes or rams have lost their teeth.  It is considered normal for this to begin happening at 4 or 5 years of age in typical sheep breeds, but doesn't begin to happen until much later in Cascade Farmstead sheep.


  • Carcass -


  • Castrate -
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  • Conformation - the build of the animal as it relates health, movement and production.


  • Cross-fencing - fencing large pastures into smaller or more manageable pastures in order to provide rotational grazing for the best use of the land.


  • Cull - To remove an animal, via selling or butchering, from the farm and breeding program.  CFSA requires members to butcher their culls, rather than inflict them on unsuspecting buyers.

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  • Dock - A procedure used on typical breeds in which the tail is cut off of lambs.  This is not necessary with Cascade Farmstead sheep; Cascades are born with naturally short tails because they are descended from sheep in the Northern Short Tailed breeds.


  • Ewe - A female adult sheep.

  • Ewe lamb - A female sheep less than 1 year of age.


  • Fleece - The wool found on sheep.  Also the cast off (or shorn) wool from a single sheep.

  • Flock - A group of sheep.
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  • Freezer Lamb - lamb destined to become meat for eating.

  • Gestation - The length of time from conception to birth.  This is approximately 5 months, and in CFS ewes appears to range from 145 to 150 days, but this figure may be amended as more data comes in.


  • Lamb - A term used for a newborn sheep as well as a sheep up to the age of 1 year.

  • Placenta - Part of the afterbirth, which is passed after the ewe has given birth.

  • Ram - A male adult sheep.

  • Ram lamb - A male sheep less than 1 year of age.

  • Teat -
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  • Udder -

  • Wether - A castrated ram.


  • Worming - administering a chemical anthelmintic to reduce internal parasite numbers, or an herbal variety for prevention.


  • Wormload - The number of parasites living in the intestines of a single sheep.  A high worm load is dangerous or lethal for sheep, while a zero wormload is not feasible.  A low wormload is desirable.

  • Worms - Internal parasites that live in the intestines.

  • Yearling - Ram or ewe between 1 and 2 years of age.
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© 2006 - 2010 Cascade Farmstead Sheep Association