Escaping sheep

[snopes]

Comment: In the UK (and perhaps elsewhere, but I live in the UK) there
have been reports in the media *for years* about sheep escaping from farms
by lying down and rolling over the cattle grids.

Listening to people talking about it yet again on the radio this morning
it struck me how often I'd heard the story yet I'd never seen any
pictures. I did a Google image search and found a few rather unconvincing
pictures - one was a dead sheep on a cattle grid, and there were several
unconvincing photoshopped efforts, and there were no videos. Then it
struck me that the whole thing was made up by farmers who had forgotten to
close gates and needed an explanation as to how their sheep had got into
people's gardens and fields and were eating things they shouldn't. It is
an engaging story and became a modern myth.

The BBC web site has news reports about sheep rolling over cattle grids if
you are looking into the matter. Of course, they don't have any video.

[crocoduck_hunter]

Yeah, sheep (aside from Shawn) don't really have the flexibility necessary to roll themselves over like that.

[Photo Bob]

Daing. I thought this was going to be a "how to" article.

I have nightmares about sheep surrounding me while I sleep and was hoping this article would help me out.

Photo "Apparently sheep are not too keen on being counted" Bob

[Avril]

I've been surrounded by sheep. It's not a big deal. They bleat a lot, but it's not like they bite.

[Alarm]

Originally Posted by Avril

I've been surrounded by sheep. It's not a big deal. They bleat a lot, but it's not like they bite.

Bob is probably worried about "drop-sheep", like drop-bears, but sheepier.



or maybe they are cape-sheep, like cape buffalo, but more sheepish?

Cape Buffalo are said to have killed more big game hunters than any other animal in Africa and are one of Africa's most dangerous animals. Needless to say, the Cape buffalo has never been domesticated, but if left alone they are quite placid, just like their bovine brethren.

[crocoduck_hunter]

Originally Posted by Avril

I've been surrounded by sheep. It's not a big deal. They bleat a lot, but it's not like they bite.

Sheep are pretty harmless.

Rams are not. I had a teacher in high school who raised sheep and missed 3 days of school due to injuries she suffered after being attacked by her ram.

[Ryda Wong, EBfCo.]

Originally Posted by Avril

I've been surrounded by sheep. It's not a big deal. They bleat a lot, but it's not like they bite.

I've seen a few handlers get knocked over by a herd during herding trials when a dog lost control. That can result in bruises and even broken bones. Darn things can be pretty heavy.

[Elkhound]

Originally Posted by crocoduck_hunter

Rams are not. I had a teacher in high school who raised sheep and missed 3 days of school due to injuries she suffered after being attacked by her ram.

You need to be careful around Dodge pickups.

[crocoduck_hunter]

I knew somebody was going to go there.

[Gutter Monkey]

Why would they bother to roll across the grids when they can easily walk across them? Here's a few videos of sheep doing just that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rIbZWblPaA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5PE6PmglEo
The Wikipedia article on cattle grids even has a photo of sheep straying via a grid.

In any case sheep can't roll that far so if they tried rolling across the grate they'd just end in the middle.
Here's a rolling sheep:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_S6sdqkGt4

[Dasla]

Originally Posted by Avril

I've been surrounded by sheep. It's not a big deal. They bleat a lot, but it's not like they bite.

That is really no way to talk about you co-workers.

[crocoduck_hunter]

Originally Posted by Avril

I've been surrounded by sheep. It's not a big deal. They bleat a lot, but it's not like they bite.

A sheep once bit my sister.

Mind you, sheep bites can be nasty.

No joke- she almost needed stitches.

[Gutter Monkey]

Was she carving her initials into the sheep?

[crocoduck_hunter]

No, actually we were attempting to shear it.

[Photo Bob]

Not convinced. The sheep that haunt my sleep are quite persistent.

They talk. A lot.

Seem to be trying to sell me a mattress.

Photo "I'm sure I did not forget to turn of the TV" Bob

[Dasla]

Just a thought, was there an ad once for mattress featuring sheep maybe i.e. "it's better then counting sheep"

Do you need a new mattress?