Maybe he had trouble sleeping....

An American who kept 77 sheep in his suburban home faces 30 charges of animal cruelty.

Some had been found grazing on artificial flowers at the town's cemetery.

Some were walking on their knees because their hooves had never been trimmed, causing infections, said veterinarian Kelli Ferris, who examined the flock.

David Watts, 47, was being held at the Wake County jail in Apex, North Carolina, in lieu of $US12,000 ($A14,900) bail following a court appearance.

A judge denied a request to release him pending trial.

Watts surrendered the flock to animal control officers on Monday after police found some sheep grazing on artificial flowers in the town cemetery in Apex, a suburb of Raleigh.

Thirty of the sheep were euthanised because of various health problems. In addition, sheep bones and carcasses were found in Watts' yard.

Watts kept some of the younger sheep on the ground floor of his house and kept the others in pens in the yard, authorities said.

Watts denies abusing the animals. He told The News & Observer of Raleigh that he was overwhelmed by the number of lambs born this year.

Watts, who said he has raised sheep for a decade, called the animals "relaxing to be around".

"It's like in Florida, you can swim with the dolphins. If you can get sheep to follow you, it might be a similar experience."