Farmer celebrates lamb birth boom as twins and triplets thrive

A sheep farmer in South Australia's Riverland region is celebrating an exceptionally prolific lambing season, marked by a high number of twin and triplet births. Brenton Kroehn, owner of Borung Poll Merino Stud, described the start of his season as one of the most exciting he has experienced in recent memory.

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Double the trouble, but double the fun

The favorable conditions are attributed to a wetter-than-usual first half of the year in the region. This abundance of rainfall has led to plentiful feed for the sheep, which is critical for the survival rates of multiple lambs. Kroehn noted that in harsher years, more lambs are lost, but this season has seen minimal losses in the paddocks.

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This year there have been very minimal losses out in the paddocks and there's a lot of twins.

"I've probably seen three or four sets of triplets this year and I'm sure there's more we haven't noticed out in the paddocks," Kroehn said. While he uses ultrasound to know which ewes are carrying multiples, the sheer volume this year has been remarkable. Typically, in drier years, farmers must separate and provide specialized nutrition for ewes carrying twins, but the current abundance of feed has eased this pressure.

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I've probably seen three or four sets of triplets [this year] and I'm sure there's more we haven't noticed out in the paddocks.

Local veterinarian John Hammond confirmed that the recent wet conditions are ideal for livestock, providing the necessary nutrition for multiple pregnancies. He stressed that nutrition is paramount, as ewes carrying twin lambs require significantly more food. The current green pastures mean the sheep are receiving ample nutrition, contributing to the success of this year's lambing season.

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Nutrition is really key. If you have twin lambs, that mother needs 50 per cent more food.