[smee2012]

This is going to make me sound really rather stupid but I have only had sheep for the first time this year. Prior to that I didn't really get up close and personal with them so never noticed this before.

Each of my Zwartbles sheep has a hole/divet/depression on either side of its face, just below the eye. All eight of them have these so I'm not too concerned as I figured it's a part of their natural anatomy but what exactly are they? No amount of searching any of my books or Google can help (probably because I'm not sure what to call them!). Sometimes they seem to be a little mucky, other times a little wet. I can only liken the 'muck' to the 'sleep' that gathers in human eyes at the corners.

Can anyone shed any light for me?

[jaykay]

No such thing as a stupid question!

They're scent glands:

Sheep have scent glands on the face and feet. Communication through the scent glands is not well understood but is thought to be important for sexual signaling. Males can smell females that are fertile and ready to mate, and rams mark their territories by rubbing scent on to rocks

[Bionic]

That wasn't a stupid question at all.  I have just learnt something new. Thanks
Sally

[Beewyched]

That wasn't a stupid question at all.  I have just learnt something new. Thanks
Sally

Me too Sally    & I worked with sheep in my teens too 

[Rosemary]

Explains why my tup rubs my legs with his head.

[Andrew]

Rosemary get your coat  you've pulled

[Foobar]

That's funny, I was nose to nose with one of my tup lambs this morning through the fence (he was just saying "Hi" to me ), and I was thinking to myself,  ooo haven't you got large dimple-y bits under your eyes... it never occurred to me what they might be for.

[Pedwardine]

I've found this really informative too. I had no idea. Just assumed it was friendliness on the part of my rams. Hmmm maybe a little more than friendliness hey! Shall I get my coat?

[smee2012]

Thanks jaykay, I figured they were glands of some sort, just couldn't work out what! My sheep (girls and boys) love to have their heads rubbed, although it appears now that it may be a little more than friendliness on the boys' part!