This resource was partially reviewed and updatedA member of The Open Sanctuary Project’s staff has updated one or more sections within this resource. by a member of The Open Sanctuary Project on August 28, 2025.
When most people think of sheep, they often picture woolly flocks grazing in idyllic pastures. Most people don’t realize that the domesticatedAdapted over time (as by selective breeding) from a wild or natural state to life in close association with and to the benefit of humans sheep we know today are the result of thousands of years of human intervention and domestication to produce specific human-desired traits. Sheep were among the first animals to be domesticated 11,000 years ago and are believed to be descended from Asiatic mouflon.
A Long History Of Domestication
Multiple mitochondrial lineages have been identified in domesticated sheep, indicating multiple domestication events. It is believed that sheep were originally domesticated in response to declining wild sheep populations caused by over-hunting. In order to try to maintain wild sheep populations, humans transitioned to controlled hunting, then breeding and herd management, which ultimately led to domestication. Sheep were originally raised for their flesh, but in the fifth millennium BPBP, or Before Present is used by archaeologists to refer to dates obtained through radiocarbon dating technology. This system uses the year 1950 as "the present"., humans began to breed and raise some sheep specifically for milk and wool. These domestication events and breeding of sheep for specific human-desired traits led to the diverse world of domesticated sheep breeds we know today.
The Reality Of Sheep Farming
Most people don’t realize the dire conditions sheep face within the confines of animal agricultureThe human production and use of animals in order to produce animal products, typically for profit., or that sheep are exploited for more than their wool. In reality, sheep are raised for their flesh, milk, and fiber, and often a combination of these.
Sheep Used For Their Flesh
In the United States alone, over 2 million sheep and lambs are slaughtered for their flesh every year. In the U.S., human demand dictates that sheep are primarily slaughtered between the ages of six and eight months old (sheep slaughtered past a year of age are considered to have less desirable flesh), a tiny fraction of their ten to twelve-year average lifespan. Sheep raised for their flesh are typically done so in crowded, unhygienic conditions that can lead to ammonia-related scalding injuries and great stress to individual sheep. These animals are routinely slaughtered without effective stunning or anesthesia, and sometimes shipped long distances without food or water. Breeds commonly raised for their flesh include Hampshire, Suffolk, Black-Bellied Barbados, Targhee, Polypay, Cheviot, Dorset, and Jacob.
Sheep Used For Their Milk
Starting in the fifth millennium BP, humans began breeding some sheep specifically for their milk. Although sheep dairy production is a smaller industry than cowWhile "cow" can be defined to refer exclusively to female cattle, at The Open Sanctuary Project we refer to domesticated cattle of all ages and sexes as "cows." or goat dairy, it carries many of the same exploitative hallmarks; like cowsWhile "cows" can be defined to refer exclusively to female cattle, at The Open Sanctuary Project we refer to domesticated cattle of all ages and sexes as "cows.", sheep in the dairy industry are routinely impregnated against their will, their babies taken away shortly after birth, and their milk taken for human consumption. This cycle repeats until they are no longer considered profitable enough to keep alive, at which point they are slaughtered. Also like cows, sheep exploited for their milk are prone to mastitis, a serious and painful disease of the udder. Although any ewe can be exploited for their milk, some breeds have been bred by humans to maximize their milk production. Common sheep breeds exploited for their milk include the East Friesan, Lacaune, Awassi, and Assaf.
Sheep Used For Their Fiber
When people think of sheep, they often think of wool, and then make the incorrect assumption that wool production is natural and cruelty-free. However, these hot, heavy, fast-growing coats are the result of selective breeding. In contrast to domesticated sheep bred for wool production who grow unnaturally thick wool coats that do not shed, wild sheep have two coats that shed annually. Because domesticated sheep with wool coats cannot shed their coats, these individuals must be shorn to keep them comfortable and prevent issues such as overheating.
Though sheep shearing at sanctuaries is done carefully and with the individual’s comfort at the forefront, in agricultural settings, sheep shearers typically focus on efficiency and speed rather than the well-being of the sheep. Undercover investigations have documented rampant abuse of sheep during the shearing process. In addition to abusive handling and retaliation against “uncooperative” sheep, sheep are often injured during the shearing process. These injuries may be left untreated or stitched up by shearers (not veterinarians) without analgesics to address pain. Whereas sanctuaries time sheep shearing around weather conditions that make longer wool uncomfortable, some farmers may opt to shear sheep at times that leave them without a warmer coat when they most need it.
In addition to the cruelty they endure during the shearing process, in Australia, one of the world’s largest producers of wool, millions of Merino lambs undergo the horrific practice of mulesing. Due to the way they have been selectively bred, Merino sheep have folds of skin that make them very vulnerable to blowfly infestations (“flystrike”). To eliminate the folds that are attractive to blowflies, farmers slice off these folds of skin. While providing pain relief is becoming more common, this is often only given after the painful mutilation has been done.
When sheep are no longer considered profitable producers of wool, they are typically sent to the slaughterhouse without food or water for either their meat or their skin. In Australia, sheep no longer deemed profitable for wool production are often transported on massive, crowded ships to areas of the world where there is a demand for flesh from mature sheep. These voyages can last up to 3 weeks. While successful voyages are still extremely stressful and cruel for the sheep involved, there have also been instances of these ships being stuck at sea for even longer periods of time in extreme heat and also instances of these ships capsizing with thousands of sheep on board.
Sheep breeds commonly exploited for their fiber include the Merino, Rambouillet, Cormo, Finn, Border Leicester, Lincoln, Wensleydale, Cotswold, Shetland, Dorset, Suffolk, Southdown, Tunis, Karakul, Icelandic, and Navajo Churro. Some breeds are considered “dual purpose” and are raised both for their flesh and their wool, though ultimately, most sheep raised for their wool are eventually slaughtered for their flesh.
In addition to the misconception that sheep naturally produce large quantities of excess wool, many people tend to think sheep are devoid of individuality and intelligence, and use the term sheep to insult humans they deem as “followers.” However, studies have proven that sheep have individual personalities (something compassionate caregivers already knew!), and when sheep act as a collective flock, this is not an example of them lacking individuality or intelligence, but is actually an intentional survival skill designed to protect the flock. So next time you hear someone use the term “sheep” as an insult, let them know that sheep stick together to keep everyone safe. Humans might do well to be more like sheep.
SOURCES:
Sheep For Meat And Wool | Woodstock Farm Sanctuary
Why Sheep Matter: They’re Intelligent, Emotional, And Unique | Psychology Today
Genetic History Of Sheep Domestication
Revealing The History Of Sheep Domestication Using Retrovirus Integrations
How And When Sheep Were First Domesticated | Thought Co
The Population History of Domestic Sheep Revealed by Paleogenomes | Molecular Biology And Evolution
‘Nobody Likes Mulesing’: The Market Shift Changing Australia’s Wool Industry | The Guardian
No Matter How It’s Spun, Mulesing And Sheep Welfare Don’t Knit Together | RSPCA Australia
Sheep Breeds For Fiber, Meat, Or Dairy | Countryside (Non-Compassionate Source)
Dairy Sheep Breeds | Milking Sheep (Non-Compassionate Source)
Sheep | OSU Extension (Non-Compassionate Source)
