‘One in a million’ ewe delivers sextuplet lambs on Oxfordshire farm
© Tommy Morgan The lambing season has brought a number of unexpected arrivals for farming brothers Tommy and Robert Morgan, from Appleton, Oxfordshire.
Though they farm predominantly beef cattle, Tommy explains that they have about 350 ewes currently lambing and were shocked when one particular ewe gave birth to sextuplet lambs over the Easter weekend – a phenomena so rare, that it is predicted to have a one-in-a-million chance of occuring.
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A pregnancy scan on the miraculous ewe revealed that she was meant to be carrying three lambs, with the possibility that she could have more.
“My brother was the one to lamb the ewe,” said Tommy. “After he pulled the third one out, he said there was another lamb.
“He pulled out the fourth and realised there were still more – they just kept coming.”
All six of the lambs are happy and well – with two remaining with the mum while the four others will be fed with a milk machine.
Lambing on the farm started around two weeks ago, and should be finished for this season soon, with just 20 ewes left to lamb.