TWO new rare lambs have been born at a Dorset farm park after a Shetland ewe snuck into a Valais ram enclosure.

Staff at Farmer Palmer's Farm Park in Organford were left surprised by the chance encounter. 

Director Sandra Palmer-Snefflin said: "You don’t normally crossbreed. We have a Shetland ewe and a Valais which was the dad.

"The Shetland came and jumped from her pen over the wire and got in the neighbouring Valais pen.

"We had a ram called Hank and they were in the pen for a couple of hours before the team recognised and with nature being nature there was a fair chance, they’d gone in together so to speak.”

She added: " It was a surprise because they guessed that there was a risk that she’d be pregnant. She did a sterling job; we weren’t sure if she could have delivered them herself.  


This is the first time the park has seen the Shetland and the Valais combination.

Sandra said: "Our team were trying to come up with a name and settled on Shalais which is a mix of both names which is amusing really.

"The mum’s also getting a haircut, sheep shearing today, tomorrow and Friday because she absolutely deserves it, she’s getting all the pamper treatments.”

Farmer Palmers is also holding a competition via Facebook to name the two new arrivals and mother.