A nanny goat have given birth to what are believed to be the world’s only living twin ‘geeps’ — goat/sheep hybrids.
The two crossbreeds, named ‘This’ and ‘That’, are the product of Daisy the goat’s week-long affair with a Cheviot ram at on a farm outside Claremorris, Mayo, Ireland.
But rather sending them off to a butcher or meat plant, Angela Bermingham intends on keeping the pair.
She suspected there was ‘something going on’ when Daisy jumped over a fence onto farmer Michael Holmes’ land – whose son Padraic owns the ram believed to have mated with the goat.
The two goat/sheep hybrids have been named This and That and are believed to be the world’s only living twin ‘geeps’
Rather sending them off to a butcher or meat plant, the nanny goat’s owner Angela Bermingham intends on keeping the pair
While experts say it is rare for goats and sheep to mate successfully, most pregnancies are never carried to term
And according to livestock experts, Ms Bermingham’s geeps could be the only surviving hybrids of their kind in the world.
‘To have one geep survive is rare, but to have two fit and healthy twins running around must be regarded as something of a miracle,’ Mr Holmes, who has done extensive research on geeps, told The Irish Sun.
Ms Bermingham, who does not own a male goat, said there are no roaming billygoats nearby that could have mated with Daisy.
Ms Bermingham is convinced that future genetic testing will prove this
‘I knew something was going on because she didn’t come out of the field for a week,’ said Ms Bermingham, of Bury in England.
‘When she became obviously pregnant I knew immediately what had happened.
‘They’re not goats and they’re not lambs either. They were born with no horns and a full set of sharp teeth. That’s not usual.’
While experts say it is rare for goats and sheep to mate successfully, most pregnancies are never carried to term.
Ms Bermingham is convinced that future genetic testing will prove this.
It comes after dark-fleeced geep was born on a farm outside Ballymore in Eustace, Kildare, in 2014
Farmer Paddy Murphy said he had previously witnessed goats mating with ewes on his farm during ‘tupping’ season
It comes after dark-fleeced geep was born on a farm outside Ballymore in Eustace, Kildare, in 2014.
Farmer Paddy Murphy said he had previously witnessed goats mating with ewes on his farm during ‘tupping’ season.
‘I’ve never seen anything like him before,’ he said at the time.
‘[It’s a] pure shock to the system… a one-off.’
He added: ‘He’s so fast you’d have to get him into the pen to catch him.’