Ovis aries

Family

• Bovidae

Lifespan

• 10-12 years on average
• Up to 20 years under good care

Size

• Weight
• Males: 225-275 pounds
• Females: 150-200 pounds

Origin

• Breed originated in Kent, United Kingdom

Habitat

• Romney sheep are a hardy breed and thrive in poor weather conditions, such as extreme rain and wind; but also do well in more stable, temperate climates 

Diet

• Wild - Grasses and other wild plant matter
• Zoo - A mixture of Timothy/Alfalfa hay

Reproduction

• Females reach sexual maturity around 8 months of age males reach sexual maturity within 6 months.  Once females are sexually mature they will go through an estrous cycle every 17 days, emitting scents to alert males when they are ready to breed.  Gestation lasts about 5 months, after which the female (ewe) will give birth to one to two lambs.  Lambs are typically able to stand within an hour after their birth.
  

Special Adaptations

• Romney wool has the finest fiber diameter of any of the long wool breeds, which makes their wool softer for garments.
• As is common with ruminant animals, these sheep have no upper incisors or canines; instead they have a rough pad on the roof of their mouth.
• Romney sheep are resistant to hoof rot, a common issue with hoofed mammals.  This makes them ideal for farmers living in moist areas of the world.

Facts/Info

• Wool shorn from a mature female (ewe) can weigh as much as 12 pounds!
• Romney sheep are typically bred for cream or white wool color, but the natural color is brown, like our sheep, Iggy.
• Romney sheep get their name from the marsh they originated in, the Romney Marsh.
• Our female sheep, Iggy, is extremely friendly and will readily greet staff and visitors who wander into the contact area.  She loves a good scratching by her ears!

Conservation Status

• Domestic - not listed

Sources

1. Romney. February 1995. Oklahoma State University. November 2011 http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/romney/
2. Feldhamer, George A. et al., Mammalogy: Adaptation, diversity, and ecology. 2^nd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.
3. CITES Appendices.  Accessed December 2012.  www.cites.org
4. IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.  Accessed December 2012.  www.iucnredlist.org