Environment

Climate change makes sheep shrink

by thomps | July 2, 2009 at 09:31 pm

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shrinking sheep yes thats true..climate change has caused a curious case of shrinking sheep in Remote British Island...In My Views this Climate Change is going to affect all living creatures...Hope we will undrstand soon.......

Survival of the fittest and natural selection usually means that species grow bigger as they evolve but milder weather on the uninhabited islands of the Scottish Outer Hebrides has pushed this process into reverse.

Despite a greater abundance of food, milder winters and longer summers means that the wild Soay sheep of the St Kilda archipelago are shrinking by 3.5 ounces (100g) a year.

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Uwe Paschen

at 00:19 on July 3rd, 2009

That is interesting in deed. I have not noticed this in our flocks though and we do keep extensive records even of their height and weight from birth till they retire.

What does wary greatly though with climate change according to our records is the number of Lambs being born and the Milk production as well as the Back fat that we measure with Ultra Sound.

But Smaller does make sense, since smaller life forms can adapt easier to such changes and will require less energy to survive.

P.S. Thanks for using one of our Farm Photos.