Torhout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – At a petting zoo, in Torhout Vlaams schaap ewes have all given birth, mostly to triplets. Caretaker Frauke Hoorelbeke says 12 ewes had lambs from one ram. 5 ewes are still expected.
The Vlaams Schaap ewes at the petting zoo in Torhout have all had triplets this year. The father of all these baby lambs is one special ram. Officials mentioned that the zoo carefully chooses which ram to breed with the ewes, so they can make sure the lambs are healthy. This ram has already had babies with 12 different ewes.
According to the officials, people love to see baby lambs, so the zoo expects more visitors. The caretakers want everyone to enjoy seeing the lambs, so they have a special plan. Every day, they move the sheep from the pasture to a different area.
They explained that this allows visitors to walk near the sheep and observe lambs frolic with their mothers. The shepherds prefer that the sheep are contented and secure, as well as that the guests are enjoying themselves.
In the afternoon we move the sheep from the pasture,
Frauke adds.
Then the public can admire them.
Why do the baby lambs at the Torhout Petting Zoo have numbered tags?
There are so many baby lambs at the petting zoo in Torhout. Officials mentioned that it’s too hard to give each lamb a name because there are so many. The caretakers can’t tell them apart, either. Instead, each lamb has a tag in its ear with a number. This helps the caretakers know which lamb belongs to which mother.
The Vlaams Schaap, a type of sheep known for its white wool and long legs, is famous for having a lot of babies. Animal caretaker Frauke Hoorelbeke says they often have multiple babies at once. This year every single ewe at the petting zoo has had triplets, which is rare. While Vlaams Schaap ewes usually have multiple babies, it’s not common for them all to have triplets.
Frauke mentioned that last year, some ewes even had quadruplets, but that hasn’t happened this year yet. But there are still 5 ewes who haven’t had their babies yet, so there’s still a chance for quadruplets to be born.
