Farmer's shock as sheep gives birth to seven lambs
BBCA North Yorkshire farmer said it was "amazing" after a sheep gave birth to seven healthy lambs - just one shy of a world record.
Ben Frankland, 23, who farms in Newby near Stokesley, said he was shocked when the ewe delivered the rare septuplets last week.
While twins and triplets are common during lambing season, seven lambs being born to one ewe is said to be "incredibly rare".
In 2021, a ewe in Scotland gave birth to eight live lambs, believed to be a UK record.
According to Guinness World Records, the record for the most lambs born in a single confinement is also eight.
The feat was first recorded in New Zealand in 1991, before it was equalled by a ewe in Sweden in 1994.
Frankland first found the ewe with three lambs, and when he returned to check on her, he saw there were two more.
He said: "I moved her to a slightly bigger pen to stop her from sitting on them, but she was still looking a bit sad, so I thought I'd best have a look.
"There were two more in there, so seven lambs altogether.
"It's just ridiculous to be honest. I don't know where they all were fitting."
Five of the lambs are now being bottle-fed in a neighbouring pen, while two remain with their mother, who Frankland described as "knackered" after the birth.
Ben Frankland"For a good couple of days afterwards she was just sitting about not looking herself really, but she's come to now and she's doing pretty well," he said.
"Everyone just thinks it's amazing and is surprised that they're all actually OK, they're all well."
Katie James from the National Sheep Association said the birth was "incredibly rare".
She said: "Seven lambs is absolutely amazing, particularly as all have been born healthy at full-term."
The birth comes after five lambs were born to one ewe at a farm on the Swinton Estate, near Masham, last month.
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