It can be concerning when you have a flock with nothing but white ewes and rams, and you notice a tiny black sheep running around the pasture. That’s exactly what happened to Tara Bellerose, a sheep and cereal cropping farmer in Victoria, Australia. The family-operated farm tracks their experiences on YouTube and TikTok.
Sheep genetics can be complicated, but in layman’s terms, it is completely possible for two white sheep to produce a black- or brown-colored (coffee-colored) lamb. In sheep, when the white gene is dominant, they will likely have white lambs. However, a black sheep may occur if both parents have a recessive color gene. In some cases, lambs may be born one color and gradually change, or lighten, as they grow. The occurrence can be quite common, but we understand Tara’s confusion nonetheless!
In the short clip below, you hear Tara as she walks through the pasture. She nudges a sheep who appears to be imitating a turtle until it gets up and wobbles away with an unsteady step. Reviewing some of the other videos on the channel, the turtle impersonation appears to be a regular issue.
Then she pans to a momma sheep and her baby. Cute and adorable. Acknowledging that they don’t have any black sheep in the flock, she returns to her vehicle and, as she drives away, makes an awakening realization.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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