I believe that of all the barnyard animals, perhaps the average sheep gets less respect than its other larger, more prestigious counterparts — the beef cow, wanted for its tasty insides AND for the bag it’s all contained in; the dairy cow — which gives us the crowned jewels of comfort foods — ice cream and cheese; the pig — king of the breakfast table and lord of the football field; and the horse, known for its beauty, grace and superior oat-burning abilities.

But the sheep don’t care — they don’t need the approval of the other animals. They just mind their own business and enjoy the fact that of all the farm animals, they are the most creatively clothed … and that their legs bring the big bucks at meat counters everywhere.

There is much wisdom found in the way these animals live their lives. For example:

n Dress warm. Sheep are the first to model the fact that wool can be trendy all year long.

n Looks aren’t everything. Anyone wearing a warm and fancy winter coat or a skirt that any Scottish man would be proud to wear knows that somewhere a sheep is a little less warm because of it. The wool may not look like much on the sheep, but with a little love and care — and maybe some deodorizing and delousing — its value to the manufacturer is plain to see.

n Less is more. Ask a sheep and they’ll tell you they can swat a fly away with a short tail just as effectively as they can with a long one. How they must secretly snicker and deliver haughty scoffs at those show-offs — the cows and horses, with their long tails.

n Mother knows. With the rectangular-shaped pupil of a sheep’s eye, it gives them near-360-degree vision. Sheep then, give truth to the statement that mothers have eyes in the backs of their heads, and really can see everything.

n Speak your mind. Whether they see breakfast is coming and beller until they actually receive it — or whether they bat their little ones away in exchange for a few minutes alone — the ewe will teach us that it’s important to let others know what’s on our minds … and that some alone time is not to be reserved just for two-legged mothers.

n Stick together. Rare is the occasion that when one sheep gets out, it’s the only one out. Sheep set the model that if it’s good for one to leave the pen, it’s good for all to see what’s on the other side of the fence. And yet — they know the call of the wild — a simple rattle of the corn pail. As exciting as it is to venture out, it’s important to know when to come home.

n Try new foods. Any self-respecting sheep will, when given the opportunity, help themselves to garden produce and flowers, whether they have been invited to eat them or not.

Always explore your food options, but be ready to run from the farmer’s wife.

n Adventure is underrated. Sheep will explore every inch of the pasture, get into mischief and can often be seen wearing buckets on their heads if they get drunk on the excitement of the moment. Get out and explore your world — get into a little mischief … you don’t even know how cute a bucket will look on your head until you try it.

n Watch what you eat. Sheep are constantly grazing, but are skilled at picking a single kernel of corn out from beneath a pile of hay or eating only certain kinds of hay. On occasion, they might stumble upon the corn reserves and begin the gluttony process. While this can threaten their health, they get shots to lessen their chances of dying from overeating.

Lucky stiffs.

n Bare it all every now and then. Sheep tell us it’s OK on occasion to peel it all off — to show off that beach body and skank around like the sexy babes they know they are underneath all that thick wool. On the other hand, they sometimes show us that it’s important to choosy about who cuts our hair.

n Finally, be good listeners. When sheep hear the voice of the one who feeds and cares for them, they come running. They know he will take care of them and protect them, and so they follow where he leads them. Our own Good Shepherd waits for us to do that very same thing.

Karen Schwaller writes from her grain and livestock farm near Milford, Iowa. She can be reached via email at kschwaller@evertek.net