Are sheep important to economy?

Question

Are sheep important to economy?

Answer 1

Raising sheep was and is important to farmers in many economies, given that sheep can give milk (and its derivative products, such as cheese), wool, sheepskin (used for making clothes, footwear, rugs, and other coverings) and meat. In the 21st century, sheep retain considerable importance in the economies of several countries. After China, the largest producers of sheep products are in the southern hemisphere: Australia, New Zealand and the Patagonian regions of Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Sheep play an important role in the economies of a number of smaller countries, such as Wales. In some places, like Sardinia, sheep-breeding has become the principal and characteristic activity.



Sheep headcount in 2004In the United Kingdom, the importance of the wool trade was so significant that in the upper chamber of parliament (the House of Lords), the Lord Chancellor sits on a bench known as the Woolsack. This is, as its name suggests, a sack of wool and confers the importance of the wool trade to the English economy at the time of its installation many centuries ago.

The economic importance of sheep in much of the United States has declined as it has become, in some cases, economically unviable to ranch sheep for wool.Texas has by far the most sheep of any state, but now has only about one-tenthof the almost 11 million sheep it had in the 1940s.

In the 21st century, in some situations, sheep can provide a return on investment of up to 400%[citation needed] of their cost annually (including reproduction gains). Sheep breeding has played a role in several historic conflicts, such as the Scottish Highland Clearances, the American range wars, and the English "enclosing of the commons".

Answer 2

ahh, yeah.  what, do you want me to copy and paste a text book answer like everyone else does on this site?