A 6-Legged Lamb Hermaphrodite Born in Georgia and Other Unusual Cases (VIDEO)

A small village is now big news with a 6-legged lamb hermaphrodite born in a Velistsikhe, Georgia.

The small village of Velistsikhe, Georgia is now big news. Everyone around the globe is talking about the Georgian farmer with a 6-legged piebald lamb, a colored sheep with white spots.

For 25 years, Abadzhanov Albert has worked as a shepherd. One of his sheep recently gave birth to a lamb with four legs at the front and two hind legs. The 6-legged lamb is even more unique because it seems to have some control of all its limbs.

Abadzhanov can't recall such an unusual case in all his years as a shepherd. The shepherd even asked other shepherds but none could remember a case of a 6-legged lamb.

The Daily Telegraph reports Abadzhanov said, “There were three-legged lambs, one-eyed but not six-legged.” Certain birth defects in animals such as one-eyed lambs can actually help researchers treat humans.

In 2005, Forbes reported 50 years ago a birth defect among one-eyed Idaho lambs lead to the development of a cancer treatment. A decade after World War II, lambs in the area were born with underdeveloped brains and a single eye. Scientists worked for 11 years and discovered certain lilies the lambs snacked on contained a poison. Referred to as cyclopamine, the poison caused birth defects.

Cancer researchers later discovered cyclopamine blocks a gene called the Sonic hedgehog that is necessary for embryonic development. It also plays a role in causing cancer of the prostate, pancreas, esophagus and skin. A Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at Johns Hopkins University, Philip A. Beachy, said, “It's a beautiful accident of evolution.”

Abadzhanov's lamb has six legs but seems to be functioning. The shepherd said, “The lamb eats well but moves with difficulty.”

Veterinarian Auto Zardiashvilli said the mutation could be due to conception issues. The vet indicated, “Most probably there were twins, but then the embryos were united, and we've got a strange lamb.”

According to 11Alive, some reports indicate the lamb was born with both male and female body parts. Having bisexual parts would classify the lamb as a hermaphrodite. The lamb is getting plenty of curious visitors from the village in Georgia. Despite its difficulties, the lamb seems to be developing and growing at the same rate as the other lambs.

Other unusual mutations were born in Georgia including a 2-headed lamb and 3-legged cat. Another 6- legged lamb was born in Belgium in 2006.

In 2007, the Telegraph reported a 7-legged lamb was born in New Zealand. Unlike the 6-legged lamb born in Georgia, the 7-legged lamb had two extra legs hanging uselessly behind its forelegs with three hind legs. The lamb moved using two forelegs and three hind legs.

The 7-legged lamb was also a hermaphrodite but was missing a portion of its bowel, which made it unable to pass feces. The veterinarian recommended the lamb be put down.

Steve Williams, veterinarian at the Canterbury Vets clinic in Metheven, said the error during embryo formation caused the lamb to be born with many legs, referred to as polydactyl. The condition occurs once in several million sheep, making lambs with multiple legs quite unusual.

Here is a video of the 6-legged lamb born in in Georgia.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

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