Using RNA technology to develop a chemical-free way for controlling flystrike in sheep
A chemical-free method of controlling flystrike in sheep is a step closer, according to University of Queensland research.
A chemical-free method of controlling flystrike in sheep is a step closer, according to University of Queensland research.
Biotechnology
Jul 15, 2024
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1
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique commonly used to explore the brains of sheep. Until now, it had only been performed under general anesthesia, to ensure the animal's immobility. Anesthesia, however, leads to ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 1, 2024
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60
Giant lizards called heath goannas could save Australian sheep farmers millions of dollars a year by keeping blowfly numbers down—and must be prioritized in conservation schemes to boost native wildlife, say researchers.
Plants & Animals
Jun 25, 2024
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In summer 2021, Badlands National Park was home to a healthy and growing population of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, with approximately 300 total among the three herds. Then in August, Paul Roghair, lead biological science ...
Ecology
May 22, 2024
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1
Mantis shrimp are small creatures known for their superlatives. Their eyes have 12 to 16 different color receptors versus our own three, and can detect the polarization of light. Their punches are famously fast, accelerating ...
Plants & Animals
May 10, 2024
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41
Modern Eurasian sheep predominantly belong to only two so-called genetic matrilineages inherited through the ewes, so previous research has assumed that genetic diversity must already have decreased rapidly in the early stages ...
Archaeology
Apr 15, 2024
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109
High temperatures during critical periods of the reproductive cycle of sheep result in 2.1 million fewer lambs produced in Australia each year, costing sheep farmers an estimated $97 million annually.
Plants & Animals
Mar 21, 2024
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A US man who tried to breed enormous hybrid sheep using genetic material from endangered animals so he could sell them to trophy hunting ranches faces jail time after pleading guilty to wildlife crimes on Tuesday.
Other
Mar 13, 2024
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47
The high peaks of the southern and central Sierra Nevada are home to a unique and endangered animal, the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. John Muir called them "the bravest of all the Sierra mountaineers," and indeed they have ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 18, 2024
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45
Researchers report December 22 in the journal Current Biology that the more time reindeer spend ruminating, the less time they spend in non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep. EEG recordings revealed that reindeer's brainwaves ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 22, 2023
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204
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. Numbering a little over 1 billion, domestic sheep are the most numerous species in their genus.
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 or mutton) and milk. A sheep's wool is the most widely used of any animal, 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, and are also occasionally raised for pelts, as dairy animals, or as model organisms for science.
Sheep husbandry is practised throughout the majority of the inhabited world, and has been fundamental to many civilizations. In the modern era, Australia, New Zealand, the southern and central South American nations, and the British Isles are most closely associated with sheep production. Sheep-raising has a large lexicon of unique terms which vary considerably by region and dialect. Use of the word sheep began in Middle English as a derivation of the Old English word scēap; it is both the singular and plural name for the animal. A group of sheep is called a flock, herd or mob. Adult female sheep are referred to as ewes, intact males as rams or tups, castrated males as wethers, and younger sheep as lambs. Many other specific terms for the various life stages of sheep exist, generally related to lambing, shearing, and age. Being a key animal in the history of farming, sheep have a deeply entrenched place in human culture, and find representation in much modern language and symbology. As livestock, sheep are most-often associated with pastoral, Arcadian imagery. Sheep figure in many mythologies—such as the Golden Fleece—and major religions, especially the Abrahamic traditions. In both ancient and modern religious ritual, sheep are used as sacrificial animals. In contemporary English language usage, people who are timid, easily led, or stupid are often compared to sheep.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA