Genetic Mutation Produces Four-Horned Sheep in China
- 13 years ago
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A sheep with four horns has been found in a small town in China. The local livestock expert believes the horns are a result of a genetic mutation in the sheep.
Located near Shijiazhuang, capital of North China's Hebei Province, this remarkable looking animal has two pairs of symmetrical horns.
With two pointing up and the other two bending down, the sheep's head looks rather like an ancient Chinese official's hat.
[Feng Chunming, Farmhand]:
"I have raised sheep for 20 years, but this is the first time I have seen a four-horned sheep like this. And what is more surprising is that its four horns are well-balanced and grown symmetrically."
The male sheep is a year old, and was bought from Inner Mongolia in April 2010.
Its horns weren't visible until October last year.
Although its horns set it apart from the other sheep, it seems to have no problem getting along with them.
According to the local expert, the chance of a sheep growing four horns is very slim and is the result of a genetic mutation.
[Liu Ya'nan, Livestock Expert]:
"If it is the only one in the flock, I think it is of no scientific value. Probably it is only an object for appreciation. But if there are similar phenomena among its offspring or among its brothers and sisters, it is worth studying to find out what causes the genetic mutation and whether it can be bred as a new species."
A sheep with four horns has been found in a small town in China. The local livestock expert believes the horns are a result of a genetic mutation in the sheep.
Located near Shijiazhuang, capital of North China's Hebei Province, this remarkable looking animal has two pairs of symmetrical horns.
With two pointing up and the other two bending down, the sheep's head looks rather like an ancient Chinese official's hat.
[Feng Chunming, Farmhand]:
"I have raised sheep for 20 years, but this is the first time I have seen a four-horned sheep like this. And what is more surprising is that its four horns are well-balanced and grown symmetrically."
The male sheep is a year old, and was bought from Inner Mongolia in April 2010.
Its horns weren't visible until October last year.
Although its horns set it apart from the other sheep, it seems to have no problem getting along with them.
According to the local expert, the chance of a sheep growing four horns is very slim and is the result of a genetic mutation.
[Liu Ya'nan, Livestock Expert]:
"If it is the only one in the flock, I think it is of no scientific value. Probably it is only an object for appreciation. But if there are similar phenomena among its offspring or among its brothers and sisters, it is worth studying to find out what causes the genetic mutation and whether it can be bred as a new species."