Tiny Tim and his three siblings are already exceptional as quadruplets.

As Texel sheep, a breed Gateway Vets veterinarian Eloise Dance says “is not known for having multiple babies,” they’re even rarer.

They arrived last week, to the delight of their Geraldine owner, Karen Sorenson - and likely relief of mum Muffin.

In the days before the birth, Karen says, “Muffin was getting fatter and fatter. I rang Gateway Vets, and they advised me what to do, and were on standby.”

In the end, labour was straightforward, and Muffin birthed two ewe lambs - to be named either Flossy, Blossom, or Cupcake in the Sorenson ewe-naming tradition - and two rams, named Major (his Nugen Texel father is Sergeant), and Tiny Tim, the last and littlest.

“She’s feeding three of them evenly”, says Karen.

“We took Tiny Tim off because he was a bit small, and we’ve been feeding him colostrum and now milk powder, and he seems to be doing good.

"I’ve given Muffin a special sheep pellet, and she’s got long grass.”

The Sorenson 2026 lambing rate is presently sitting at 350 per cent - another of their five ewes has had triplets and three are yet to lamb - and Karen puts it down, in part, to that good feed.

As Eloise says, “Texels aren’t super-fecund.”

Karen says, “The grass growth really didn’t stop during the winter, and they’ve got good shelter. And you’ve got to have good stock.”

What’s ahead for Muffin’s brood?

“Major will be our next ram; I’ll breed Muffin with some other ram next year,” says Karen.

And the others?

“They’re destined to go where all good lambs go...”