Two is too insufficient in New Zealand. To keep up with the growing tendency of ewes giving multiple births, New Zealand scientists are now trying to breed sheep with four nipples instead of two.
As per a report in Otago Daily Times, the instances of ewes giving birth to triplets are increasing and as a result one of the lambs usually struggle to survive due to insufficiency of mother’s milk.
The newspaper quoted George Davis, a scientist with the state agricultural organization AgResearch:
A triplet, if he is the runt of the litter, is usually doomed. If one triplet is light, his two litter mates can bully him out.
According to Davis, the situation was quite different ten years ago when the average New Zealand ewe had one lamb.
Every nation has some priorities and in New Zealand’s case this seem to be the top most, given the fact that New Zealand is one of the biggest producers and exporters of sheep meat.
