Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Subfamily Caprinae
Genus: Ovis
Species: O. aries
Binomial name: Ovis aries
Common names: Sheep
Domestic 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 everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries.
Sheep are most likely descended from the wild mouflon of Europe and Asia. One of the earliest animals to be domesticated for agricultural purposes, sheep are raised for fleece, meat (lamb, hogget or mutton) and milk. A sheep's wool is the most widely used animal fiber, and is usually harvested by shearing. Ovine meat is called lamb when from younger animals and mutton when from older ones. Sheep continue to be important for wool and meat today. During the months late July and August ewes and their lambs can be seen on the other side of the Te Henui stream on farm land.
Ewe and lamb (August) Te Henui walkway
Lambs ( August)
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
