From text found on the web, its seems that "Butty-sheep" relates to Rams.
"When I began to take an active part in matters there, however, wolves were scarce,
and nearly all of the settlers kept a few sheep. Our flock ran out in the woods in summer,
except one old ram with long twisted horns and blind. His proper run was in the orchard.
He was always loaded and listening for a fight, and in order to satisfy his belligerency,
I used to prod him with a long pole through the bars. He would face in that direction,
back away twenty or thirty feet, turn on the "high speed", and strike the bars with force
enough to give him a beautiful tumble. People said that made him worse and that I ought
not to do it, but I didn't see as he could be made worse, for no one dared make a noise
around him. He had a good ear yet and lots of energy. I would sometimes slip, barefooted,
close to him, spring on his back, and grab his horns for a ride. Of course, these rides were
bareback, and for endurance, it was about fifty-fifty between me and the ram. But my
cup of joy was not without a taste of bitter. A small playmate one day patted the ram on
the head when I was not watching and received a blow on the forehead that came
nearly being fatal. I feared I was responsible, and I was very sorry. My little friend
"Web' Hill" got well, but afterward shied clear of the "Butty-sheep."
Regards
Malky
