Quad lambs in Kerrykeel

Myles Friel, Kerrykeel and Martin McVeigh visiting from Chicago at their Granda and great-granda Myles McBride's farm in Kerrkeel with a crossbred ewe and her four lambs. The quads were born on Tuesday morning among the many spring lambs across the country. Photo: Donna McBride

IT’S a busy time on the farm of Myles and Frances McBride in Kerrykeel following the arrival of quad lambs earlier this week.
The couple, who both turn 85, this year have been farming for decades and this is the first time they have ever seen four lambs being born at the same time.
“It was very unexpected, we were very surprised but it’s great to see that the ewe and the lambs are doing so well, that’s unusual for quads,” said Frances.
She added: “Even when I think back to when I was a child, I don’t remember a ewe having quads.”
The cross-bred lambs were born on Tuesday and came as a shock to Myles, as Frances explained: “We missed that ewe when we were scanning them earlier in the year because she was at another farm in Fanad with a mare that we have. She had the first one herself but she needed help with the other three. We brought them back up to a shed at home here so that we could keep an eye on them.”
One of the biggest problems with quad lambs is that the ewe often isn’t able to mother the four of them, however, Frances said that it’s a case of so far, so good!
“She able to look after them herself at the moment, which is always the best way, so that’s great to see.”
When asked if there was any possibility of another big delivery, Frances explained: “Well, so far we’ve had another three sets of triplets and there are another two sets of triplets due, so it’s definitely a busy time here. Fortunately the weather has been very mild, it’s great weather for lambing because we can put them out to the fields.”

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