Kim Morgan, age 8, of Bowling Green, Ohio, for her question:

HOW LARGE WILL A SHEEP GROW?

Sheep are among the most important animals that man has tamed because they provide both clothing and food. Long before history was first recorded, people domesticated sheep.

Domestic sheep vary greatly in size according to sex and breed. A male, called a ram, can vary in weight from 150 to 350 pounds, including a heavy coat of wool. A female, called a ewe, may weigh from 100 to 225 pounds.

Domestic sheep have been slowly and carefully changed from their wild ancestors. Originally, the wild sheep were tamed for the sake of their milk and their hides. They were also used to carry burdens. Then soon they became important for their fleece and meat.

Sheep are now classified into five groups, depending upon their fleece: fine wool, long wool, crossbred wool, medium wool and coarse wool.

Most of the fine wooled sheep originated from the Spanish Merino. Today there are more sheep with Merino blood than any other breed. American merino sheep have white faces and legs and are thickly covered with fine wool down to their toes and noses.

Leading sheep raising states, listed in order of their importance, include Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, California, South Dakota, Montana, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho and Ohio.