There are lots of words (terms) used to describe the development of
sheep on a hill farm. Here some of them are explained.
Lamb --------> Hogg ---------> Shearling ---------> Ewe
So when does a lamb become a hogg? When does a hogg become a shearling
and when does a shearling become a ewe? And what is a gimmer hogg?
| Term |
Explanation |
| Dam |
Mum. |
| Dip |
The act of immersing a sheep in a bath of liquid containing chemicals to kill parasites. |
| Ewe |
A female sheep that has given birth to 2 sets of lambs
(or more). Usually a sheep is 2 years old when it gives birth to its
first set of lambs and 3 years old when it gives birth to its second
set of lambs. So a sheep usually becomes a ewe when it is 3 years
old. |
| Fleece |
The coat of wool on a sheep. |
| Gimmer |
A female sheep. |
| Gimmer Hogg |
A young female sheep that has finished weening. |
| Gimmer Shearling |
'Gimmer' means female and 'shearling' means a two-year-old
sheep. So a gimmer shearling is a two-year-old female sheep. Since
sheep usually give birth to their first lambs when they are two years
old they usually have their first lambs when they are gimmer shearlings. |
| Hefted/Hefting |
When a sheep knows which part of the fell is its home it stays there. It is said to be hefted. There is no need to use a fence to keep them in the area. When a sheep is growing up and learning where it belongs it is said to be hefting. |
| Hogg |
A young sheep that has finished weening. |
| Lamb |
A young sheep that is not yet weened. This means that
it is still feeding from its mother. |
| Mule |
A cross-bred sheep produced for the quality of it's meat and for it's hardiness. A mule is usually a cross between a Bluefaced Leicester ram and a Swaledale. |
| Mutton |
Mutton is meat from an older sheep (as opposed to meat described as lamb which is from a young sheep). |
| Pasture |
A place where sheep feed on natural grass. In hill farming this can be the fells or lower lying fields which offer more protection from the weather. |
| Ram |
An adult male sheep that has not been castrated. Also called a 'Tup' a ram is capable of breeding with female sheep. |
| Shearing |
Removing the fleece (wool) from a sheep. Can be done with hand-operated shears or with an electric shaving device. |
| Shearling |
This word is derived from the word 'shearing'
which means 'clipping', the process of cutting the wool from the sheep.
It describes a sheep which has been sheared once. Sheep are not sheared
in their first year so a shearling really describes a two-year-old
sheep. |
| Shepherd |
A person who looks after the sheep on the pastures. |
| Sire |
Dad. |
| Tag |
A label clipped to the ear of a sheep to indicate its origin. |
| Tup/Tupped |
A ram - an adult male sheep that has not been castrated and therefore capable of breeding with female sheep. Also known as a ram. |
| Tupping |
The act of mating beteen a ram (tup) and a female sheep. |
| Whether |
A castrated male sheep. |
| Yow |
Another name for a ewe. |
