NZ plans four-nippled sheep

Too many lambs, not enough teats

New Zealand scientists plan to tackle the thorny problem of ewes producing more lambs than they have nipples to accommodate, by simply upping mum's teat-count, Stuff.co.nz reports.

Apparently, NZ's ovine population has become more fertile over the past 10 years and females often drop triplets. AgResearch Invermay scientist George Davis solemnly explained: "A triplet, if he is the runt of the litter, is usually doomed."

Accordingly, Davis is scouring sheep flocks for ewes with four nipples, and hopes to use them to assemble a flock "from which rams can be bred to pass on this trait". ®