Sheep–goat hybrid

A sheep–goat hybrid is an animal resulting from a sheep and a goat mating. Such offspring are rare because sheep and goats belong to different genera and have distinct chromosomes.

Sheep: Sheep are domesticated ruminant mammals in the genus Ovis, kept chiefly for wool, meat, and milk. One parent species in the cross.
Fertilization: Fertilization is the fusion of a sperm cell and an egg cell to form a zygote. A sheep–goat hybrid begins when gametes from the two species fuse.
Geep: Geep is an informal name for an animal reported or claimed to be a sheep–goat hybrid. The label is often applied to purported hybrids, though many cases are not genetically confirmed.
Molly the sheep–goat hybrid: Molly is a sheep–goat hybrid reported as born in Botswana in 1984. This frequently cited case illustrates the small number of documented natural births.
Goat: Goats are domesticated ruminant mammals in the genus Capra, raised for milk, meat, fiber, and other products. The other parent species in the cross.
Zygote: A zygote is the first cell formed when two gametes unite. The hybrid embryo begins as a zygote carrying genetic material from both parents.
Chimera (genetics): A genetic chimera is an organism containing cell populations derived from more than one zygote. A sheep–goat chimera can contain both species' cells without being hybrid offspring.
Sheep–goat hybrids in Botswana: Sheep–goat hybrids in Botswana are reported cross-species offspring from local sheep and goat populations. These reports provide a notable setting for recorded sheep–goat births.
Ovis: Ovis is a genus of bovids that includes sheep and related wild species. Sheep belong to this genus, distinct from the goat genus Capra.
Meiosis: Meiosis is cell division that produces gametes with half the usual chromosome number. Chromosome differences can disrupt pairing when hybrid animals make gametes.

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