Table I.
Normal Values for Sheep, Goats, and Cattle: Vital Signs, Life Spans, and Weightsa
| Parameter and age | Sheep | Goats | Cattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromosome number | 54 | 60 | 60 |
| Body temperature (° C) | |||
| Young | 39.5–40.5 | 39–40.5 | 39–40.5 |
| Adult | 39–40 | 38.5–39.5 | 38–39 |
| Heart rate (beats/min) | |||
| Young | 140(120–160) | 140 (120–160) | 120(100–140) |
| Adult | 75 (60–120) | 85 (70–110) | 60 (40–80) |
| Respiration rate (breaths/min) | |||
| Young | 50 (30–70) | 50(40–65) | 48 (30–60) |
| Adult | 36 (12–72) | 28 (15–40) | 24(12–36) |
| Life span (years) | 10–15 | 8–12 | 20–25 |
| Body weights (lb) | |||
| Birth | 3–25 | ||
| 1 month | 25 | ||
| 3 months | 55 | 400 | |
| 6 months | 110 | 85 | |
| 9 months | 110 | ||
| 12 months | 130 | 720 | |
| 18 months | 155 | ||
| 24 months | 300 (ram), 200 (ewe) | 170 | 1100 |
| 36 months | 205 | ||
| Deciduous dental formula | 2(Di 0/3, Dc 0/1, Dp 3/3) = 20 | 2(Di 0/3, Dc 0/1, Dp 3/3) = 20 | 2(Di 0/3, Dc 0/1, Dp 3/3) = 20 |
| Permanent dental formula | 2(10/3, C 0/1, M 3/3) = 32 | 2(10/3, C 0/1, M 3/3) = 32 | 2(10/3, C0/1, M 3/3) = 32 |
a
Vital sign data for goats are from “Large Animal Internal Medicine” (1996). Sheep weight data represent weights of feeder lamb and adult dry ewe (Federation of Animal Science Societies [FASS], 1998). Goat weight data are for a large-breed male goat. Cattle weight data represent weights of female Holstein or Guernsey dairy cattle (FASS, 1998). Life span data for sheep and cattle are from Brooks et al. (1984).