Does the steel wool producing sheep have any natural enemies?

Question

Feel free to research..tell that steel wool isnt froma sheep....duh?.. It's humor folks...

Answer 1

Oh yes. Many. Sad to say. Some are pushing the sheep to extinction. Rust has always been a natural enemy. However the sheep were protected to a large degree when they were raised primarily in the drier climates of Northern Africa and Eastern Asia. It was only when the sheep were introduced to wetter areas like New Zealand and the British Isles that the real problems developed. After the initial introduction into these areas the price of steel wool plummeted and new types were genetically developed. Much success has been enjoyed by new breeds like Stainless Steel wool. (affectionately call "stainies" in Australia) and the newest type called Faux-Wool. True, an imitation of the original, but the wool is impervious to any chemical known to man. And quite nutritious too. We all will miss the steel wool breed, but such is evolution.

Answer 2

Actually, the sheep that produce steel wool are no more unique than regular sheep. For example, while the wool from a regular sheep is damaged by water, there is no danger to the wool if it is still connected to the living animal. A sheep can get wet but the wool on him won't shrink or be ruined as a result.

Similarly, the steel wool sheep can get wet and will not rust when the flock is left in an open pasture in the rain. Before being sheered, the steel wool feels soft, like any other sheep. The steel wool becomes abrasive only when sheered from the sheep and dried.

In the fields, the enemies are the same as any other sheep - wolves and wild dogs, mostly. Occasionally, a bobcat will attack a flock. Of course, when the sheep is dead, drying occurs in the wool as the cells are now dead.

Many a wolf has been found in the woods by a creek bed, evidently died trying to moisten the wool that dried in it's mouth from a steel wool lamb. It gets tangled in their teeth and in their paws and causes a most unpleasant death.

Herdsmen often keep ill or diseased steel wool sheep in areas heavily populated with wolves just to encourage nature to take it's course. The wolves attack the terminal sheep, die as a result of the wool drying in their mouths and then they track the unfortunate predators and sell the wolf pelts at market to finance their purchase of more steel wool lambs. It's a perfect balance.

Answer 3

No, produced by a crossing of a Austrailian sheep called the Booroola Merino and a '57 Chevrolet Bel-Air The Steel Wool Sheep was originally developed on the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales and is the subject of a continuing developmental programme initiated by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
You can't leave them out in the rain though, they rust.

Answer 4

nicely...it does look that a number of those so said as "Neo-Conservative" political extremists sorts that favor to label theirselves as Christians inspite of their of route lower than christian habit are somewhat sturdy at pulling the wool over extremely some peoples eyes.

Answer 5

only natural enemy? Rust.

Would be something to have an animal that produced it. Might make lambing time a bit uncomfortable and absolute misery for shearing.

Answer 6

yeah there's that wolf with the 12 volt batteries for teeth. it makes a real mess of the sheep.... but on the other hand it makes pretty sparks

Answer 7

reminds me of an old shel silverstein poem

are wild strawberries really wild?
will they scratch an adult, will they snap at a child?....

it goes on and on...

Answer 8

this would have been a funny question if you hadn't added the it's humor folks part. :(

Answer 9

They must avoid rain!
No water. They drink oil.

Answer 10

yes the nuteral enemy is dust