Farmers in Co Down were surprised at the arrival of a 10.3kg ram lamb born on Friday. David Cromie from Rathfriland told the Irish Farmers Journal the sheep had scanned for two lambs and was therefore fed accordingly.

The lamb was a Millhaven Charollais embryo that was transplanted into a commercial ewe on the farm. “I flushed a ewe that had 16 eggs,” said David. “I put two each into eight commercial ewes. We scanned seven doubles and a single. However, one of those doubles was just one giant lamb.”

The lamb, which was delivered by caesarean section, was by a Cannahars Superstar sire and out of a Rockvilla dam.

10.3kg Charollais lamb born in Co Down.

The farm

David Cromie and his father Alan also own a herd of 80 beef heifer finishers along with a flock of 30 Charollais sheep and another 150 commercial ewes.

The pedigree sheep are usually lambed throughout December, while the commercial flock will be lambed over a five-week period from February.

“It’s too early to tell what we’ll do with him yet. Maybe there’ll be a couple of shows that he might be suited to later in the year,” said David. “What is your best lamb now could turn out to be your worst lamb in a couple of months’ time, so we’ll see.”

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