How many horns can you see?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (342670)
Rockingham, Australia
May 20, 2017 7:18am CST
Many of my friends here know I’m a bit of a sucker for sheep. Herc is our pet sheep and I’ve shared many photos of him. Recently I put up a post about the Valais Blacknose. I’ll put a link at the end if I remember as this is one really cute breed.
I know many members here don’t know a lot about sheep or the different sheep breeds so I thought I’d tell you a little bit about the ancient Jacob breed of sheep.
These are found on only a few estates in Great Britain although there are also some flocks in America. The breed is listed as 'rare' by the American Livestock Breed Conservancy. The unusual thing about the Jacob is that they may have more than the more usual two horns. Four horns are common and some even have six. The fleece is spotted black and white, making the Jacob very attractive.
If you study the Wikimedia photo, you’ll be able to make out four very impressive horns.
Photo: Dan Sellers (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Following the interest shown in my post about Herdwick sheep, I felt sure you’d all fall in love with a Swiss breed known as the Valais Blacknose or, in German,...
22 people like this
22 responses
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
20 May 17
I think I see 3 horns, I don't know a thing about sheep. We don't have many around here it's unusual for us to see them but there is a farm about 6 miles away and they have sheep, just the all white ones.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
21 May 17
@JudyEv How interesting I sure didn't know that.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (113071)
• El Paso, Texas
20 May 17
Yes, I saw the 4 horns, I woodn't want to tick one off that's for sure. Are sheep ever aggressive? I know goats can be, my back fence neighbor has 2 goats and I have to laugh at the way they baahhhaaa all the time, I try to mock them and they actually answer me.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
20 May 17
I would not want to tease that ram and be the butt of a joke.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (342670)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 17
@responsiveme Yes, something like that! 
1 person likes this
@manasamanu (3746)
• Bangalore, India
20 May 17
You really are teaching us a lot of things about sheep and their breeds. I really didn't know that there were these many breeds of sheep. The sheep in your photo is absolutely pretty and with those four horns it looks amazing.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
20 May 17
Yes, I saw the 4 horns right away and some, you say,can have even 6 horns? Very interesting! Is it only the male that has 4-6 horns or do both sexes?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342670)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May 17
It was hard to find a really good photo but this guy is so handsome and the horns are all well-developed if a little hard to discern. I'm glad you were able to suss it out. 
@DaddyEvil (138089)
• United States
21 May 17
I am not positive, Judy, but I believe I can see the shine of four horns on that sheep? Two up and two down? Maybe.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (138089)
• United States
21 May 17
@JudyEv Yup! That is the one I wasn't positive about! I could see the shine from the other three, but wasn't positive about that one! LOL!
1 person likes this
@antonbunot (11093)
• Calgary, Alberta
21 May 17
Before I responded I checked the whole body of the ram, I saw just 2 horns. . unless the one hanging at its belly is a short horn . . if that is the case, then there are 3! 
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
21 May 17
I grew up on a dairy farm and didn't have any sheep. So, yeah, I don't know much about sheep.
1 person likes this
@RichardMeister (5328)
• Otis Orchards, Washington
21 May 17
@JudyEv We boarded some pigs and horses once.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342670)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 17
@RichardMeister Plenty of horses get agisted around here but I haven't heard of pigs being boarded.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
21 May 17
Nice photos ....there are sssoooo many different breeds .... thanks for sharing ... 
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (83234)
• United States
20 May 17
I'm getting quite an education about sheep and didn't know much about the difference in breeds (or that there were so many breeds). The Jacob in your photo looks a bit menacing with those horns and I wouldn't want to get butted by him. The Valais Blacknose is still my favorite (next to Herc of course) since it looks more cuddly.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342670)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 17
There are probably as many variations in sheep breeds as there are in dogs. Many countries have their own breeds. I'm with you regarding the Valais Blacknose - definitely more cuddly.
@JudyEv (342670)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 17
Probably no benefit - just the way it evolved. Maybe the ewes thought four horns showed great masculinity. With the Merino (bred for wool), horns were bred out of them Same with some breeds of cattle. Without horns they can't damage each other so much and so the meat isn't so often bruised when they're slaughtered.
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
21 May 17
I have always thought sheep were so cute
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342670)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 May 17
I've always liked sheep. I guess part of it comes from having pet lambs as a kid.
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
20 May 17
I didn't even think that was a sheep!
1 person likes this
