A sheep's wool color is determined by genes controlling pigment production. In most common sheep breeds, white wool is a dominant trait, meaning a sheep needs only one copy of the dominant gene to display a white fleece. Sheep can come in a number of different shades of various colors including white, black, red, cream, gray, and brown.
They can be solid or have an interesting pattern of colors on their coats of wool or hair. It really all depends on their breed, bloodline, and genetics. Genetics play the main role in determining what color a sheep will be and, over the years, sheep breeders have finely tuned.
Fortunately, there are a few sheep breeds that don't need shearing, collectively known as "hair sheep." The coats of wild sheep, like that of most animals, does not grow continuously. Color in sheep is a genetically recessive trait, so it is possible for a white ewe and a white ram to produce a colored lamb. This is where our notion of there being a black sheep in every family comes from.
All sheep retain the same basic color genes (see Color Genetics Terms and Sheep Color Genetics Primer for an overview of terminology and basic genetics). In addition to the agouti and black/brown, sheep have a gene called "extension". Wondering about hairless sheep breeds? Check out our most recent post to about the unique characteristics of these animals and the various breeds available.
From the fluffy white sheep of nursery rhymes to the hairless breeds of today, sheep have come a long way. Hairless sheep are a relatively new breed, but they have quickly gained popularity due to their unique characteristics. Find Sheep Without Wool stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection.
Thousands of new, high. Understand the intricate biological processes that dictate sheep coat color, explaining the prevalence of white and the appearance of black. Clipart library offers about 48 high-quality Transparent Sheep for free! Download Transparent Sheep and use any clip art,coloring,png graphics in your website, document or presentation.
Sheep can see in color, noticing colors like red, green, yellow, black, brown, and white As prey animals, sheep rely heavily on their senses to keep themselves safe from danger.