What prehension method do sheep and goats primarily use?

Sheep and goats primarily use their lips and tongue as their main prehension method for feeding and manipulating food. This technique allows them to grasp and pull vegetation closer to their mouths efficiently, helping them select the most nutritious parts of the plants. Their highly mobile lips are adapted for this purpose, assisting in grazing and browsing, while the tongue helps in pulling the forage into the mouth for chewing. This method is particularly effective for their natural foraging behaviors, as both species thrive on a diet that includes grasses and other plant materials.

In contrast, other animals may use hands, noses, or just the mouth for prehension in ways that are less suited to the specific feeding behaviors and environments that sheep and goats have evolved to exploit. Understanding the prehension methods of different species allows for better management and care in agriculture and livestock production.