You might remember me. My name is Magnus. I started life as the third born of a set of quadruplet Gotland lambs. I slipped into this world almost unnoticed as I was so tiny. I only weighed three pounds at birth and my shepherd thought I was not alive. But I took a deep gasp for air and let out a cry that rang through the barn to let them know that indeed, I was alive and I had a will to live! I started life one third the size of everyone else. I weighed in at just over three pounds. Though tiny, there was, and still is, little I could do. I stood my ground when it came time to eat and my three sisters seemed to know that I needed extra time to nurse. They would patiently let me have the nipple. I was so short that I could stand up directly under my mom’s belly. I did not have to get on my knees to reach the nipple for a long time. One of my sisters always stayed by my side. Whenever I was napping, she was right there next to me. She saw to it that I was cared for, warm, and loved. I wore a wool sweater made from a man’s sock, until I outgrew it. That helped me stay warm when my sister was not there to snuggle me.
For weeks, I did not play much because all of my energy went into eating and growing. Then one day, staying alive was no longer such a struggle and I began to run and jump with the other lambs in the flock. Though I was one third their size, I could still butt them and run and chase after them. I learned early on that I could steal milk from other ewes when I was hungry and my mom was busy. I learned how to nurse from behind too! If my shepherd ever had to hold a ewe in the flock for any reason, I would dive underneath and get a nip to drink…even if she wasn’t my mom. My shepherd would laugh and say, “It takes a entire flock to raise quads.” At one point my shepherd weighed all the lambs to be sure that I was growing at the same rate that they were. I surprised her by weighing exactly what I should weigh based on an average daily percentage. I run and play with the other lambs now. I am brave and can ward off my Aunties by butting them. When there is a food tray of alfalfa on the ground, I nudge my way in to eat my fill. I might be small, but I am living up to my name and have great promise to be a wonderful grown ram one day.
I am two months old now. I still have my black lamb fleece, but my silver curls peeks through the black. I am out on pasture grazing now with the flock. Once a day, the shepherd lady comes to hold a ewe so I can get an extra drink of milk before nightfall. In one month, I can go to a new home. Someone wanted to purchase me, but due to unforeseen circumstances, she is not able to follow through and take me to her farm. If you know of anyone that would like to give me a good home, please let my shepherd know. I am full of life and promise to be a good boy and grow lovely curls of silver wherever I go.
