Spring has sprung at Shugborough hall
Spring has come early at Shugborough Hall estate this year as the first set of rare lambs have been born.
This year's baby boom at the estate is expecting more than 100 lambs and goat kids of a number of various different breeds from now until mid April.
The first two to come were rare-breed Southdown twin lambs and born at 6.30am on Tuesday, followed by a third shortly after at 8:30am.
Southdown Sheep are an historic breed and have been on the grounds of the Shugborough for over 200 years.
Deputy manager of the National Trust estate, Corinne Caddy, said: "It's a very busy time for everyone at the farm, we've had a few lambs so far but we're expecting the peak to be next week for the lambing nights which will be open to the public.
"All of our livestock are given two names when they are born, the first name is the breed and the second is a name unique to them.
"The first two twins have been called Southdown Larry and Southdown Lucy."
The farm is also expecting a flock of the critically endangered Bagot goat kids in the coming weeks - a breed which is even rarer than the Giant panda.
Eleven of the sixteen sheep currently on the estate are known for having the purest genetics in the world.
Bagot goats, which are native to Staffordshire, were brought to the United Kingdom after Richard the Lionheart took them back from the Crusades in the Middle East according to legend.
King Richard II is thought to have later given one of the goats to Sir John Bagot, of Blithfield Hall, Rugeley.
Other breeds include Shropshire and Leicester Longwool, along with the Soay and Boreray sheep.
For the first ever time, the farm will be open for the public so that visitors can watch lambing happen live in person.
A range of activities will take place in the farmyard including help with the night-time bottlefeed and chick handling will start from 7pm until midnight on March 5, March 6 and March 7.
To book tickets, contact 01889 881388.
