Based on their responses to various situations that would trigger an emotional response in humans, the authors concluded that sheep seem able to experience a wide range of emotions, including fear, anger, rage, despair, boredom, disgust, and happiness (Vessier et al. 2009).
Professor John Webster of the University of Bristol found that, like humans, sheep visibly express emotions. When they experience stress or isolation, they show signs of depression similar to those that humans show by hanging their heads and avoiding positive actions.
Massey University research has found that sheep feel empathy about members of their flock.
Sheep display an intensely gregarious social instinct that allows them to bond closely to other sheep and preferentially to related flock members. Flock mentality movements protect individuals from predators. Flocks include multiple females, offspring, and one or more males.
Sheep are very gentle animals and were one of the first animals to be domesticated. They can differentiate facial expressions, and prefer a smile to a frown.
Sheep are hooved mammals with woolly coats who feel a wide range of emotions, from anger to boredom and happiness. They form strong bonds with one another and can interpret different emotional expressions, which helps them develop their relationships.
Sheep can be affectionate, curious, and playful beings, but there are times when they may prefer to be left alone. Even the most docile sheep in your sanctuary might decide they need some alone time, and it's critical to recognize the signs they're trying to give you before caution turns to agitation, or worse.
Animals develop relationships with intra- and interspecific partners, including humans. In some cases this can lead to strong emotional bonds indicating the existence of attachment. The sheep is well known to develop various forms of social attachment (mothers towards young, lambs towards siblings).
There is little doubt that humans are better than sheep in learning to recognize human faces, although our expertise in recognizing sheep faces is clearly more closely rivalled by sheep.
Sheep can definitely think. Like a human brain, sheep have a cerebrum. The cerebrum is the part of the brain that allows for thinking and controls the senses and movement. That sheep have a cerebrum means shows they can think.
Sheep smarts: Sheep are extremely intelligent animals. Their IQ level is similar to cattle, and they are almost as smart as pigs. They are capable of solving problems—they can remember how to find their way through a maze or how to find a treat in a puzzle.
Flocking instinct varies by breed, with the fine wool breeds being the most gregarious. It is this strong flocking instinct that allows one person to look after so many sheep. When one sheep moves, the rest will follow, even if it does not seem to be a good idea.
Sheep know what it is like to feel fearful and anxious. When they lose a sheep-friend or family member they love, they notice and may even show signs of grief. When sheep are isolated, they get lonely and can become depressed.
Moderate heat stress – sheep show fast panting, progressing to mouth slightly open, but the tongue is not extended beyond the lips. Rapid chest movements will be easily observable. Severe heat stress – rapid, open-mouth panting will be seen, with the neck extended, head held up and tongue extended.
Sheep have very good memories. They can remember at least 50 individual sheep and humans for years. They do this by using a similar neural process and part of the brain that humans use to remember. Sheep have been shown to display emotions, some of which can be studied by observing the position of their ears.
Sheep that are accustomed to people enjoy being petted by their humans. However, sheep that are unaccustomed to people do not like to be petted and their fight or flight response is activated. Sheep approached by strangers may react favorably or not, depending on their level of socialization to multiple people.
Exposing isolated sheep to photos of other sheep lowers their stress levels, shows a recent study. Researchers suggest the practice could be used to soothe solitary and sick animals and hope the work will help elucidate the brain mechanisms behind the ability to link faces with emotion.
We have been able to demonstrate in behavioural choice maze experiments some ability of sheep to distinguish between sheep and human voices (Kendrick et al. 1995).
When faced with such situations, docile sheep can become agitated and may even rush people who are trying to work with them. Sheep are prey animals and their natural instinct is to flee when in a situation they perceive as dangerous. They use the flight reaction as a way to avoid danger.
Even with small flocks, individual sheep will need attention sometimes, so some kind of handling facility is needed to confine individual animals for shearing or for medical treatment.
Mostly sheep eat grass, legumes, forbs, and other pasture plants. They especially love forbs. In fact, it is usually their first choice of food in a pasture.
Sheep are frightened by high-pitched and loud noises, such as barking dogs or firecrackers. Sheep have an excellent sense of smell. They are very sensitive to what different predators smell like.
Generally speaking, people born in the year of sheep are generous, just and kind, and easily touched by other people's misfortunes. They are meek, and somewhat timid by nature.