Sheep terminology

[Cab-over Pete]

Aye-up,

I'm no sheep expert, but I thought I knew the basics.

However it seems to me that different folks have different terms for different age sheep.

I was talking to a chap about hoggs today and I got the impression he meant theaves. Then I remembered Dad talking about double theaves and teggs.

Do things differ throughout the country or is there a definitive set of terms?

Cheers, Pete.

 

[Woolgatherer]

Different names all over, then I went to Ireland and got totally confused.......

 

[hindmaist]

In Scotland a lamb is called a lamb til the first of January,when it becomes a Hogg.It becomes a gimmer once it's shorn.Its called a gimmer til you wean its first crop of lambs,when it becomes a one crop ewe.Its called a one crop ewe til its second crop are born,when it's called a two crop ewe.And so on.

 

[hindmaist]

Different names all over, then I went to Ireland and got totally confused.......

Aye.When the drinks in,the wits oot!

 

[Guiggs]

Not just regional variations,even more localised,almost farm by farm! We call them thieves neighbour calls them tegs some say shealings or glimmers or two tooths...

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I've always thought it was like this:

1 year old ewes I thought were either ewe-lambs, hoggetts or teggs. Fat lambs both male and female are hoggs.

2 year old ewes, theaves. Not sure if that included ewes that have not had lambs before or not.

3 year old ewes, double theaves.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Not just regional variations,even more localised,almost farm by farm! We call them thieves neighbour calls them tegs some say shealings or glimmers or two tooths...

Gimmers......I'd forgotten about those!

 

[exmoor dave]

not age related but down round these parts we call dagging Docking, but i think in other parts, docking is actually cutting tails off

 

[Guiggs]

not age related but down round these parts we call dagging Docking, but i think in other parts, docking is actually cutting tails off

Yeah tail docking is what you do to working dogs around here!

 

[Lleyn fan]

A term that I think is local to me and used by the older generation a lot when a ewe is in lamb she is in aine haven't heard anybody else mention it on here anyway

 

[Gulli]

not age related but down round these parts we call dagging Docking, but i think in other parts, docking is actually cutting tails off

Think that's just your end of the county mate, its dagging over this way

 

[exmoor dave]

Think that's just your end of the county mate, its dagging over this way

oh yeah, its defo a very local thing!.............................................we like to be "different" on exmoor...........and of course we're always right!

 

[Clive Tee]

Guy from Bucks works for me a bit. To him, Ewe is a Yo. It's catchy, you find yourself saying it after a while!

 

[DB67]

Never heard theaves till here.

Ewe Lamb
Hogg
Gimmer
Sookit gimmer

Wedder (baws off)
Tup (baws on)


Dagging - taking shitty wool off

Marking - tails and balls off.

 

[tinsheet]

oh yeah, its defo a very local thing!.............................................we like to be "different" on exmoor...........and of course we're always right!

On the exmoor border here, and its docking!

 

[General-Lee]

oh yeah, its defo a very local thing!.............................................we like to be "different" on exmoor...........and of course we're always right!

Docking down here too, never heard of theaves, tegs.

 

[Farmer Dod]

Lambs, hoggs, gimmers, ewes up here. I also have numerous other terms for sheep which unfortunately I am unable to repeat on a family orientated forum such as this!!!

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Guy from Bucks works for me a bit. To him, Ewe is a Yo. It's catchy, you find yourself saying it after a while!

In Devon she's a 'yaw'. The some say 'yo'.

 

[General-Lee]

In Devon she's a 'yaw'. The some say 'yo'.

Well depends what part of Devon we very much use ewe, but have heard yaw being used.

 

[exmoor dave]

dad calls foot rot "foot rod"...........but i'm pretty certain thats unique to him.

best not mention what he thought volvo cars were called