Borders farmer shocked as sheep gives birth to eight lambs
Video report by Jennifer Cordingley.
A farmer in Reston in the Borders has spoken of his shock after delivering eight lambs to one sheep in what he thinks is a 'UK record.'
Philip Hewit, who works with his father-in-law on Sunnyside Farm, said in his 25 years of farming, he’s only ever seen six lambs born in one birth - but never eight.
He said: "I started and I pulled one out and I pulled two out and I pulled three out and I thought I need to deal with this one over here so let’s finish lambing this one which I wouldn’t normally do and it just kept going. I had to look round just in case someone was throwing them in at the other end."
Since the 'record-breaking' birth, two of the lambs have died. One was crushed by the mum and the other was too small to survive.
Philip’s father-in-law, who owns the farm, said it is completely natural and expected to lose lambs this way.
The ewe’s scan, two months ago, showed it was expecting four lambs, but to deliver eight, live babies is believed to be a one in a million event.
Philip said: "It’s a thing we will never see again, it’s a once in a lifetime thing we just didn’t expect it. I believe it’s beaten the British record and equalled the world record but we can’t be sure."
All remaining six lambs are healthy and growing, two remain with the mum, while the other four are being hand-reared.