A lamb born without any eyes on Ashleigh Fennell’s farm in Co Carlow looks set to become a pet on the farm.
The lamb, one of a set of twins born to a Suffolk-cross ewe, did not strike Fennell as unusual at first.
“I took the two lambs and put them in a pen without noticing anything at first,” she told the Irish Farmers Journal. “I thought he was a bit unusual for the ram I used, a Belclare, and the ewe. He looks more like a Charollais lamb.
Both lambs sucked the ewe and it was only some time later that Fennell examined the lamb in more detail.
“He looked like his eyes were closed,” she explained. “I thought it might be one of those that are born with their eyelid rolled, you get the odd one every now and them.
“Then I realised he has no eyes at all. The slits for his eyes are very small but there is nothing in there, no eyeball at all.”
“He’s three days old now and he’s thriving. He’s in a 5ft x 5ft pen. The ewe will call him, he will walk in until he feels the wool and works his way round until he can get his drink.”
The lamb has two small slits where his eyes should be, but no eyeballs.
The Co Carlow woman was frank about the fate of the eye-less lamb.
“I’ll probably rear it on and see if nature takes its course. If I put him out soon, the fox will surely take him so I’ll end up keeping him in for a good while.
“Some people might say I should get rid of him but you’d have no luck for it. He’s fat and thriving and a lamb is a lamb at the end of the day. They are hard enough to come by.
“Eyes are fairly vital but it could be worse.”
Others in the same boat
Fennell’s lamb is not the only animal to feature in the Irish Farmers Journal in recent times to have no eyes.
Two weeks ago, Jenny the calf caused a stir after it was reported that the Co Donegal calf was making great strides despite having no eyes.
Read more
Deformed calves under the spotlight
A lamb born without any eyes on Ashleigh Fennell’s farm in Co Carlow looks set to become a pet on the farm.
The lamb, one of a set of twins born to a Suffolk-cross ewe, did not strike Fennell as unusual at first.
“I took the two lambs and put them in a pen without noticing anything at first,” she told the Irish Farmers Journal. “I thought he was a bit unusual for the ram I used, a Belclare, and the ewe. He looks more like a Charollais lamb.
Both lambs sucked the ewe and it was only some time later that Fennell examined the lamb in more detail.
“He looked like his eyes were closed,” she explained. “I thought it might be one of those that are born with their eyelid rolled, you get the odd one every now and them.
“Then I realised he has no eyes at all. The slits for his eyes are very small but there is nothing in there, no eyeball at all.”
“He’s three days old now and he’s thriving. He’s in a 5ft x 5ft pen. The ewe will call him, he will walk in until he feels the wool and works his way round until he can get his drink.”
The lamb has two small slits where his eyes should be, but no eyeballs.
The Co Carlow woman was frank about the fate of the eye-less lamb.
“I’ll probably rear it on and see if nature takes its course. If I put him out soon, the fox will surely take him so I’ll end up keeping him in for a good while.
“Some people might say I should get rid of him but you’d have no luck for it. He’s fat and thriving and a lamb is a lamb at the end of the day. They are hard enough to come by.
“Eyes are fairly vital but it could be worse.”
Others in the same boat
Fennell’s lamb is not the only animal to feature in the Irish Farmers Journal in recent times to have no eyes.
Two weeks ago, Jenny the calf caused a stir after it was reported that the Co Donegal calf was making great strides despite having no eyes.
Read more
Deformed calves under the spotlight
SHARING OPTIONS