Sheep gives birth to five lambs at Swinton Estate in Masham

Six-year-old Quincy gave birth to five healthy lambs on Saturday (April 18), on the Swinton Estate near Masham.

Landowner Mark Cunliffe-Lister said he has “never seen anything like it before” after more than 30 years of lambing experience.

Landowner Mark Cunliffe-Lister with Quincy and five lambs. (Image: Mark Cunliffe-Lister)

Mark, who looks after a flock of 20 sheep, said he was expecting a routine delivery before he quickly realised something unusual was happening.

He said: “Normally we might have the odd triplets, but generally it’s twins or singles. I was keeping an eye on her and thought she had two, which was fine.

“Then there was a third, and I went back in and came out again and found four. I was thinking, gosh, I’ve never seen that happen.

“Then suddenly she had a fifth one. We really weren’t expecting that to happen at all.

“I’ve worked in lambing when I was younger and seen triplets, but this is the most I’ve ever seen.”

Mark said that despite the “one in a million event”, all five lambs were born safely.

However, because a ewe would struggle to feed five lambs, three of the newborns were taken to a local farmer where they could be fed, while the other two remaining lambs stayed with the mother.

While multiple births are not uncommon in sheep, four sheep are considered to be a rare occurrence, and quintuplets are considered exceptionally rare with a “one in a million” chance, according to farmers.

The landowner said: “Thankfully all of them are doing really well.

“The ewe is back out with the others, and the lambs are healthy, which is the good news.

“They’re all growing as they should and are now happily grazing in the field.”