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Desert Bighorn Sheep 2 - Bighorn Description Male sheep are called rams. They weigh 140 to 220 pounds and they can be recognized by their large curling set of horns. Their horns will curl back over their ears, down and back up past the cheeks. A mature ram (seven or eight years old) will have a set of horns about 30 inches long and spread about 30 inches wide. The set will weigh about 30 pounds. Even though the size of the horns is a symbol of rank in the herd, many rams will rub off the ends against a rock (brooming) as the ends will tend to interfere with their vision. The shorter horns on a female, called a ewe never extend past half a curl. The ewes are also smaller in size than rams, weighing from 75 to 130 pounds. < previous - next > |
Brooming keeps horns back from eyes