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Marilyn -

Marilyn, like all sheep differ greatly from their ancestors, this is largely due to domestication which is believed to have occurred around 8,000 years BC in South West Asia. It would seem sheep have paid a hefty price for domestication in that they have lost some of their immunity to internal parasites along with the ability to moult. Since their domestication sheep have emerged as extremely hardy animals but alas they are not always provided with adequate means to survive and suffer in silence across the oft times harsh Australian landscape. 

They need shelter and shade to protect them from the elements and predators, along with adequate water and can live on a diet of only grass and hay.  Sadly for them having been deemed "stock" or "farm" animals they are not afforded the same animal welfare protection as our domestic pets. 

Marilyn came to Edgar’s Mission one bitterly cold winters day along with her companion Monroe, both were rather large lambs but had somehow found themselves orphans. Sadly Monroe did not have the resolve of Marilyn and died soon after arriving.  Marilyn a little older than most of the orphan lambs that came to the mission remained somewhat elusive and wary of humans, although feed time saw her let her guard down as she was always one of the first to make her way to the bottle.  Today sees the pretty Marilyn more trusting of humans as she eyes you from a distance to see if what you have on offer is worth her while in coming forward to greet you. 

As a female sheep, Marilyn is known as a ewe.  A newborn sheep is a lamb until it is weaned, meaning it no longer drinks from it mother (or the bottle, in the case of the many lambs at Edgar’s Mission).  As nature intended a lamb will drink from its mother for about five months before they are weaned.  After this time it is known as a weaner, when it is nearly one year old it is called a hogget.  A male sheep is a ram, and once it is castrated, that is desexed by having its testes removed it is called a wether.