IOWA CITY, Iowa - Two sets of quadruplet sheep were born within days of each other on a farm in eastern Iowa. Iowa City veterinarian Chance Koppenhafer said the first set was born March 5, and the second was born just three days later.
Sheep usually have two or fewer lambs, but Koppenhafer said he's witnessed seven sets of triplets in his six years of raising and birthing sheep. However, he said he'd never seen quadruplets born.
Ron Meade, who owns the farm where Koppenhafer keeps about 30 sheep, was surprised as well.
"I had to do a double-take when I saw them," he said.
Koppenhafer, who births his own sheep and Meade's flock of 200, said the first ewe belongs to him and the other to Meade. The same male sheep fathered both sets of quadruplets, he said.
Two from each set must be bottle-fed because ewes have only two nipples for feeding their young.
"When I took two of them, she didn't even 'Baa,'" Koppenhafer said of the second ewe. "She was just happy to have a little less stress."
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Just odd that they happened so close together in time. Farmer must be happy though... extra sheep = extra dough.