Nanny goat gave birth to a rare set of mixed goat-sheep twins

Daisy the goat has welcomed half-sheep hybrid twins known as 'geeps' on a Co Mayo farm.

The livestock experts believed that the rare animals are probably the only surviving twin geeps in the world, as reported by Belfast Telegraph.

The owner, Angela Bermingham, named them This and That.

Angela, originally from Bury, Manchester, didn't want to dispatch Daisy's offsprings to a butcher or a meat plant. Instead, she planned to keep them as pets.

Padraic Holmes was the owner of the Cheviot ram who bred with Daisy.

Since This and That were born, Padraic's father, Michael Holmes, has done extensive research.

"To have one geep survive is rare, but to have two fit and healthy twins running around must be regarded as something of a miracle," Michael said.

Angela explained that there are no roaming billies around who could have mated with Daisy.

"I knew something was going on because she didn't come out of the field for a week," she said. "When she became obviously pregnant I knew immediately what had happened."

According to livestock experts, it's unusual for a sheep and goat to mate successfully and that most resulting pregnancies are never carried to term.

Angela, however, believed that This and That are genuine hybrids. She also pointed out that any genetic tests in future would justify this.

"Well, they're not goats and they're not lambs either. They were born with no horns and a full set of sharp teeth. That's not usual," explained Angela, who doesn't own a billy goat.

Michael, a member of Mayo County Council, was also convinced that the twin geeps are the product of a relationship between Daisy and Padraic's ram.

"Angela's goat used to jump into the field where my son has the sheep and ram. These little geeps are very unusual," he said. "I have never seen twins before and I have seen a lot of sheep all over Ireland and all over the world."

Angela was hoping to keep This and That as her pets.

Luckily, Padraic, who technically has some right to ownership, gave her his blessing.