This is the shocking moment a crazed sheep attacked a farmer in China.

The elderly man was assaulted by the ram but was later rescued by his son in Dezhou, Shandong, on October 12.

CCTV footage shows the hoofed animal headbutting the victim, prompting the owner to defend himself by striking the creature with his staff.

Moments later, his son arrived and subdued the animal by dragging it out of the enclosure, away from his father to prevent further harm.

A ram's headbutt can exert almost 800 pounds of force. Research suggests that when a ram attacks, it is attempting to assert dominance over humans, perceiving them as part of the flock.

Animal behaviourist Mark Vette said: 'It's common to encounter rogue rams, either with unusually high testosterone levels or those that haven't socialised with humans much at all.'