Sheep have been a part of California's history and are mentioned frequently in local histories of cities in the state. The land that towns have been built on often was used for sheep ranching.

Sheep 101

• Sheep provide wool for clothing, car seat covers and other uses.
• Custom made wool sweaters and jackets, teddy bears and other items make unique gifts.
• A sheep less than a year old is called a lamb.
• Sheep have been used for their milk for several thousand years - long before milk cows.
• Sheep milk is richer in vitamins A, B, and E, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium than cow's milk.
• Sheep provide meat such as lamb chops, milk, and milk-based products.
• Sheep are popular grass-mowers. Many of California's sheep herds are transported to fields to eat the tall grasses, a preferable method to using fires in controlled burns or poisonous chemicals to control weeds.
• Sheep blood is used for biomedical purposes such as rattlesnake anti-venom.