At first glance, a ram and a sheep differ from each other only in that one creature is male and the other is female. But, if you take a closer look at the issue, you can come to more detailed conclusions.
Definition
The ram is a common cloven-hoofed animal. Along with bulls, bison and some other representatives, it belongs to the bovids.
Sheep is a domesticated animal, belongs to the genus of rams.
Comparison
Based on the classification, the difference between a ram and a sheep is as follows: the first name means a whole biological genus, and under the second - one of the types included in it.
It is assumed that the ancestor of the sheep living next to humans is the mouflon. Once domesticated, the animal serves as a source of food. But most of all it is famous for its wool, which only in this species tends to curl. In addition, the sheep is the only one of its kind with an elongated tail and white color. Wild rams do not differ in this. The latter, meanwhile, have a wider orbit and a larger brain.
In a narrow sense, a sheep is a female of a domesticated animal. It is these individuals that give milk and produce offspring. Most often they do not have horns, or they are small. Males, in this sense, are called rams. They are much larger and often wear majestic horns. Only males can fight each other during the mating season, sheep do not behave this way. Naturally, representatives of the two sexes differ in their reproductive organs.
Let's summarize what has been said about the difference between a ram and a sheep. So, both names of animals can be used in a broad and narrow sense. Sheep are, on the one hand, a vast genus, which includes mouflons, argali, bighorn sheep and other similar specimens. On the other hand, these are males of animals raised by humans. A sheep in a general sense is a kind of ram as a genus. And in the narrow sense, this is a female of a domesticated representative.
By the way, in literature and everyday life, the discussed animals symbolize completely different qualities. The ram is associated with perseverance, perseverance, power, sometimes with stubbornness, inability to adapt to emerging situations. The sheep, in turn, is associated with meekness, kindness, as well as shyness and unreasonable following someone or something.
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