Rare sheep gives birth to twins in N China

TAIYUAN, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- A rare Barbary sheep gave birth to a pair of twin lambs last month at a zoo in north China's Shanxi Province.

The six-year-old ewe and her one-month-old lambs were presented to the public at the zoo in the provincial capital of Taiyuan on Tuesday.

The ewe delivered the female twins on Nov. 8 after an almost five-month-long pregnancy, said Shi Weixing, a breeder.

The lambs, each weighing 2.5 kg, were able to stand after taking milk from their mother for the first time shortly after being born, said Shi.

Barbary sheep have an average lifespan of 20 to 24 years. The breed becomes sexually mature at around three years old, and usually gives birth to one lamb at a time. "Twins are very rare," he said.

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