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patgundNZ trying to breed four-nippled sheep
"New Zealand scientists are trying to breed sheep with four nipples instead of two to cater to a growing tendency of ewes to have multiple births.
More ewes are having triplets, but one of the lambs usually struggles to survive because it cannot get enough milk from its mother, the Otago Daily Times reported today.
"A triplet, if he is the runt of the litter, is usually doomed," George Davis, a scientist with the state agricultural organisation AgResearch, told the paper. "If one triplet is light, his two litter mates can bully him out."
Davis said that 10 years ago, the average New Zealand ewe had one lamb, while today 100 ewes produced 120 lambs between them.
New Zealand is one of the world's biggest producers and exporters of sheep meat."
"New Zealand scientists are trying to breed sheep with four nipples instead of two to cater to a growing tendency of ewes to have multiple births.
More ewes are having triplets, but one of the lambs usually struggles to survive because it cannot get enough milk from its mother, the Otago Daily Times reported today.
"A triplet, if he is the runt of the litter, is usually doomed," George Davis, a scientist with the state agricultural organisation AgResearch, told the paper. "If one triplet is light, his two litter mates can bully him out."
Davis said that 10 years ago, the average New Zealand ewe had one lamb, while today 100 ewes produced 120 lambs between them.
New Zealand is one of the world's biggest producers and exporters of sheep meat."
