Normal values

Normal Temperature, Heart Rate & Respiratory Rate of Sheep (Ewes & Lambs)

Q: What is the normal heart rate of a sheep?

70–80 beats per minute in the MSD table; 60–90 in Virginia Cooperative Extension and 60–120 for adults in the UC Davis chart.

Updated 1 Nov 20265 sources

Reference ranges for the vital signs of sheep from the MSD Veterinary Manual tables, adapted from Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals ^[1]^[2]^[3], compared with Virginia Cooperative Extension ^[4] and the UC Davis California Veterinary Emergency Team ^[5], including lambs.

Reference ranges

Parameter	Sheep	Source
Rectal temperature	38.3–39.9 °C (100.9–103.8 °F)	^[1]
Resting heart rate	70–80 beats/min	^[2]
Resting respiratory rate	16–34 breaths/min	^[3]

How the references compare

Published reference ranges differ between sources. Each range below is printed as its source gives it; °C values marked * are converted from the source's °F. Virginia Cooperative Extension gives one range for sheep and goats together.

Parameter	MSD Veterinary Manual ^[1]^[2]^[3]	Virginia Cooperative Extension ^[4]	UC Davis CVET ^[5]
Temperature, adult	38.3–39.9 °C (100.9–103.8 °F)	102.2–104.9 °F (39.0–40.5 °C*)	102–103.5 °F (38.9–39.7 °C*)
Heart rate, adult (beats/min)	70–80	60–90	60–120
Respiratory rate, adult (breaths/min)	16–34	12–20	12–72

Lambs

Parameter	UC Davis CVET ^[5]
Temperature	102.5–104 °F (39.2–40.0 °C*)
Heart rate (beats/min)	120–160
Respiratory rate (breaths/min)	30–70

Measuring

Temperature: a veterinary thermometer in the rectum, removed after 2 to 3 minutes or after the interval recommended by the manufacturer ^[4].
Pulse: place a hand on the inside of the thigh — the saphenous artery runs down the inside of the hind leg ^[4].
Respiration: count flank movements or breaths at the nostrils for one minute at rest ^[4]; respiration rate is influenced by stress, exercise, temperature and other factors ^[4].
The UC Davis chart lists rumen contractions with a soft rumen as normal ^[5].

Frequently asked questions

What is the normal temperature of a sheep?

The MSD Veterinary Manual table gives 38.3–39.9 °C (100.9–103.8 °F) ^[1]; Virginia Cooperative Extension gives 102.2–104.9 °F for sheep and goats ^[4].

What is the normal heart rate of a sheep?

70–80 beats per minute in the MSD table ^[2]; 60–90 in Virginia Cooperative Extension ^[4] and 60–120 for adults in the UC Davis chart ^[5].

Where do you take the pulse of a sheep?

On the inside of the thigh, over the saphenous artery that runs down the inside of the hind leg ^[4].

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References

Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Robertshaw D (temperature regulation chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Resting Heart Rates (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Detweiler DK, Erickson HH (heart regulation chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Resting Respiratory Rates (table)MSD Veterinary Manual · Adapted from Reece WO (respiration chapter) in Reece WO (ed.), Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th ed., Cornell University Press, 2004
Monitoring Livestock Vital SignsVirginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech and Virginia State University) · 2020 · Values credited by the source to LeViness EA, University of Arizona (BCH-3000); respiration table adapted from Cattle Producer's Library CL610
Normal Vital Signs (vitals chart)California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET), University of California, Davis · June 2024

For veterinary professionals. Information supports — never replaces — clinical judgement; always check the current product label and local regulations.