Ewe gives birth to twins eight days after a single

Jane Murray with the ewe and lambs © Martin Cavicchioni

A Norfolk sheep farmer has expressed her surprise at an “incredible lambing event” when one of her ewes, which had already given birth to a single lamb, then produced two more some eight days later.

 After the initial lambing on 4 April, Jane Murray said the Texel ewe cleansed her afterbirth and was put out to grass with her lamb.

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Ms Murray said: “I was surprised that she had only one lamb, as three weeks previously she had threatened to prolapse and was still quite big after having given birth.

“But imagine my surprise when, on 12 April, a full eight days later, she had a set of very lively twins.”

Ms Murray told Farmers Weekly she had kept sheep for 37 years and had never heard of a similar experience.

She spoke to her local vet to see if they had heard of this taking place before.

The veterinary practice had also not come across it and has contacted the Sheep Veterinary Service to try to determine how it could have been possible.

All three lambs are reported to be doing well.