ALEXANDRIA – Sheep farmer Nick Chrisovergis is proud of his new crop of lambs, especially of his five-legged lamb born on April 12.

"We feed him about every eight hours because his mother rejected him," says Chrisovergis.

Delma Kennedy, an OMAFRA sheep specialist said that in her 23 years in the industry she has never heard of a five-legged lamb. "Usually when it is something weird, it doesn’t survive," she says.

She noted that genetic mutations are common in large herds. Due to inbreeding or random genetic mutation, Kennedy says some lambs are born without limbs, some without heads, and in this case, with an extra limb.

But the lamb is still going strong, and only uses three legs. It does not walk on the fourth and fifth legs, which are joined at the left shoulder.