A story about shepherds, sheep and freedom.

I recently came across a news story: " Uzbekistan is purchasing 100,000 Bayad rams from Mongolia to develop sheep farming ."
This article unexpectedly led to a conversation with my older brother, Dastanbek Asylbekovich Baimukanov .
My brother is no ordinary person, but a distinguished geneticist, professor, academician, and a genius in animal engineering. Simply put, he works in selective breeding: deciding what future animals will be like—hardier, meatier, or milkier. It's not for nothing that in Islam they believe that scientists have the shortest path to paradise, because by studying the laws of nature, they strive to comprehend the wisdom of God. We sat, drank tea, and a conversation struck up that still resonates with me.

Pareto's Law and Sheep.
My brother said: "In a nomadic economy, everything is based on selection. It's like Pareto's Law : 20% of the right decisions yield 80% of the results. If you choose the right breed, monitor the jety ata (to avoid inbreeding), and act like a true wolf—the first shepherd of the Turks, a symbol of strength and justice—then you immediately cull the weak. The end result is a truly delicious 'dream team.' This is a herd that grows quickly, withstands frost and heat, and, most importantly, feeds an entire nation. This is natural selection at its finest."

Breeds: Bayad and Yedilbaevskaya.
I asked, "So what's so good about these Mongolian Bayads?"
My brother replied, "Their main quality is their endurance. Mongolia is 40 degrees Celsius during the day and -40 degrees Celsius at night. It's either a tough guy or a dead one. These rams thrive where others can't. Uzbekistan would be a paradise for them."
And indeed, the numbers are impressive:

The ram weighs 70–90 kg;

at 3-4 months already 30-40 kg;

the MEAT is tender, without a heavy smell;

the fat tail is small, but light and useful;

often bring twins;

almost never get sick;

They can chew even poor food, covering huge distances.

"For butchers, tanners, and investors, it's gold on the hooves," the brother smiles. "If a shepherd knows how to select the right sheep, it yields almost 100% annual returns."
But he quickly adds: "We also have our pride and joy—the Yedilbay breed. They weigh up to 120 kg, with a fat tail of 12–15 kg—it's like a suitcase, honestly—and most importantly, their MILK . Previously, Kazakhs hardly drank cow's milk; they relied on mutton. It's fattier, more nutritious, and tastier. It makes tastier cheese and healthier tea. And butter ... I won't lead you into wishful thinking."
If you need mass, fat, and milk, go with the Yedilbay breed.
If you want balance and ease of maintenance, go with the Bayad breed.

"What if we crossbreed? Theoretically, you could get the hybrid of your dreams, but more often than not, it's like with an incompetent bartender: overdo it, and the drink is ruined. What's needed here is the skill of a sommelier, not a habit of moonshine."

Bugatti Veyron among sheep.
I kept asking, just like in childhood: "What's the best breed anyway?"
My brother chuckled. "Imagine a Bugatti Veyron among sheep. It's an argali—a wild sheep from Central Asia. It weighs up to 200 kg live, with horns two meters long. It's the king of the mountains and plains. Shepherds dream of having argali crossbreed with their sheep. The offspring are much stronger."

God is the best shepherd.
And then he said something that truly touched me:
“God is the best shepherd and the best geneticist. God’s providence in nature is carried out through the fair half. She chooses the strongest, the most ambitious, the bravest, and the most intelligent, so that the offspring will surpass their father. At the same time, she does not tame him, because God deliberately did not give her two-meter-long horns. She organically complements him with her humility, calm, and deep prudence, helping to reveal all his talents. And if she does decide to subjugate him to her will, she will get a spineless ram who will stare blankly at the new gate and wait for handouts from others.
Nature never makes random moves. She is cruel and fair: the weak are taken by the wolf, the strong survive and pass on their strength. This is how argali are born—living monuments to freedom and endurance.
There's another important rule: the closer an animal is to its natural habitat, without confinement or prepared feeds balanced with vitamins and microelements, the better the breed. Of all animals, the camel is considered the standard. Humans have done the least to improve it, and it always remains semi-wild.
And humans? Humans breed for their own sake. They want more milk, softer meat, fatter fat tails. They breed meek and obedient animals. But in exchange, they lose the most important things—strength, pride, and a weapon for defense. So, instead of the argali, a sheep is born: quiet, without horns, going where it's led.

⚡ A Tale with a Conclusion
We thought we were going to talk about sheep, but it turned out to be about ourselves.
Who is stronger? Nations where people are taught obedience and given a cushy job? No. History says otherwise. The most successful countries are those where freedom is valued. Where people choose, take risks, fall, and rise again. Where life is not a pen, but endless steppes and mountains.
Of course, freedom is dangerous. It's like living as an argali sheep in the foothills: cold, hungry, easy to lose your temper, and you can't stand still, because if you let your guard down, predators will gladly include you in their menu. Freedom means you must always live to the fullest, be ready to fight off even the most formidable enemy. It's no wonder that in the wild, even tigers and bears fear the two-meter-long horns of the argali sheep.
But it is there that the argali of the human race are born: scientists, entrepreneurs, thinkers, warriors. Those about whom legends are written.

Where are sheep born? Where everything is decided for them. Where the main thing is to be humble. It's warmer there, but there's no future there. The flock never writes legends; it exists for slaughter.

The main conclusion

Nature sings of the strong and free.

History is about those who lived the same way, at their own risk.

The future belongs not to those who seek peace, but to those who are willing to go to the mountains—where it's cold, hungry, but free.
That's why the argali sheep, with its horns, is more than just an animal. It's a symbol. A reminder that the challenging life of an argali sheep is better than the short, boring life of a sheep in a pen.
Author: Syzdyk Asylbekovich Baimukanov.

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