iPhone Category: Alerts

Sheep were domesticated between 9000 and 11000 years ago and they are found anywhere humans are as they are adaptable to different habitats and humans use them for many things - from wool to meat. They tend to flock together as a survival tactic - so predators cannot easily pluck one on its own. In fact, sheep become very stressed when separated from their herd members. Sheep can be very destructive grazers, and can cause a lot of damage. However, sheep are an environmentally friendly help in forestry, agricultural clearing as well as just mowing your lawn as long as they are left to graze for a short period of time.

One of the smartest creatures in the barnyard is the pig. Thought to have an intelligence level of that of a 3 year old human child, pigs are smarter than dogs while just as friendly and affectionate. When allowed to live a natural life, they will hang out and play with other pigs, have strong friendships with them, make beds, lounge in the sun and protect each other. Some people think pigs are dirty, but this is not true. They are often found in the mud which they use like a spa to keep cool!. Mother pigs and their little piglets have a very strong bond, and in nature she is very choosy about where to build the nest for birthing or farrowing her piglets. Sadly, in factory farms pigs are not allowed to do any of these things. So, if you want to eat pigs, you might want to check out your local farmer who raises pigs in natural conditions so they can have some time to be pigs.

Horses have been used by humans for many things including plowing, transportation, food and in war. The first horses lived around 50 million years ago and had toes, not hooves. Horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal, they have a range of vision of 350 degrees and can see in two colors. Horses are social animals and can live 25 years in small herds in the wild. They have a complex sort of communication which includes sound and body language. Since they spend many years together with the same animals in their herd, they form close emotional bonds with them. While "breaking" horses often using very harsh tactics for many years was the preferred method of training them, many people have found that learning how to communicate with horses through understanding their behavior and body language to train them is a better, safer and faster training method for both the horse and the human.    

One of the best ways to tell the difference between donkeys and horses are by their ears - donkeys are the ones with the really big ears. For thousands of years, Donkeys have been kept and used by people for a lot of things. But, unlike horses, donkeys seem to have their own minds and prefer to so what is best for the donkey. Sometimes, this is not what the human wants, and so there is often a standoff. Donkeys are also great guard animals and, will develop a strong bond with them so that one donkey can protect an entire herd of sheep or goats on his own. Donkeys are also terrific companion animals to other animals. Since they are very friendly, they will encourage the animals they are with to be the same. Young foals (baby horses) are sometimes given a donkey as a companion to make it easier for them when they are separated from their mother. This is good for the donkey, too, who like us, really needs friendship. Get this friendly donkey ringtone for you iPhone.