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It's not the sheep that are woolly-headed

News item: Last week, Florida House Speaker Johnnie Byrd infuriated fellow lawmakers when he said of them, "They're like sheep in a way. They're looking for someone to tell them what to do."

To many in the Florida House, Johnnie Byrd's comment was a real sheep shot.

But did he unfairly bust the chops of sheep, too? Maybe so, say various experts in the, well, field.

"When people make that remark about sheep, it generally shows a sense of ignorance," says Tom Boyer, a Utah agricultural consultant and vice president of the United States Sheep Feedstock Alliance.

"Obviously, sheep are intelligent animals. They have a mind of their own. Some sheep will follow. Others will go out and lead. Just like people."

Boyer says some sheep are placed in flocks specifically because of their impressive leadership qualities. They're the speakers of the sheep house of representatives, if you will.

"They'll take the rest of the band and go someplace we want them to go to cover the various ranges of the West out here," Boyer explains.

Clearly a noble group worthy of praise, not the mindless stereotype.

"Sheep are very curious," says Carol Wise, who co-owns Wise Hampshire Sheep in Findlay, Ohio, where she and her husband, Tom, raise show-quality sheep.

"They can find a hole in a fence on their own faster than you want them to. But if you want them to go through that hole, they can't find it. They're smart enough to make you think they're dumb."

Hey, not the worst political strategy in the world.

Sheep also show independent traits. "When a ewe has a lamb, she's very independent-thinking," says Paul Rodgers, who helps direct policy from West Virginia for the American Sheep Industry Association.

"She'll usually protect the lamb even if it's away from the rest of the flock. Lambs are independent, too; they can usually stand up quickly, within 15 to 20 minutes of their birth, following their mama around.

"The way I think of it is, they move as a group but they think independently and individually. And the reason they move as a group is for their own protection - it's the only protective mechanism they have against coyotes or any other danger."

Sheepish or a sound policy decision? Ewe make the call.

-- Dave Scheiber can be reached at 727 893-8541 and scheiber@sptimes.com