Live sheep

Description

Most sheep have a longevity that is similar to larger breeds of dogs – about 10-12 years. Of course, there is a lot of variability in here, too, especially among individual sheep and breeds.

The longest-lived sheep ever was a 23-year old Merino ewe! 

It’s important to note that when farmers consider how long a sheep can be expected to live they aren’t just thinking about overall years of life. They are also thinking about productivity.

A ewe will usually be most productive when she is between 3-6 years of age. This will start to taper off, with older ewes being less fertile and producing lower-quality wool and milk than those who are younger.

Younger animals tend to be superior to older ones, which is why many farmers will get rid of older ewes to make room for young ones.