A farmer in Vermont has described her astonishment after one of her ewes gave birth to a rare set of sextuplets. Anne O'Connor, who runs Clover & Bee Farm in Underhill with her husband Gunnar, witnessed the remarkable arrival earlier this month.
All six lambs and their mother are reported to be thriving. The ewe, a seasoned mother, had previously delivered quadruplets. Despite a recent veterinary check-up indicating she was carrying just two lambs, Ms O'Connor suspected a larger brood due to the ewe's size and early delivery.
The rarity of sheep sextuplets is subject to varying estimates, with some agricultural websites placing the odds at one in a million or more. The Vermont Sheep & Goat Association confirmed the exceptional nature of the birth, noting only one other shepherd in their records had experienced such a prolific lambing.
The lambs, which are partially of the Finnsheep breed, have been named numbers one through six in Finnish. Their mother is named Teemu after Finnish hockey player Teemu Selänne. The O'Connors plan to keep the four ewes and find homes for the two males.
Ms O'Connor said Teemu is a great mother and will likely be bred again in the future. The farm, which raises sheep for wool and grows herbs and berries, now has 21 sheep, with five ewes currently pregnant.
