This is the moment schoolchildren witnessed the birth of a lamb, in all its glory and goo.
There were gasps of wonder and squeamish squeals as two lambs were born within minutes of each other during Dunbog Primary School’s visit to a nearby Fife farm.
Teacher Linda Taylor said: “They were thrilled and disgusted in equal measure!”
The youngsters, aged 5 to 11, were at Higham Farm with the Royal Highland Education Trust, which organises such trips for around 21,000 pupils across Scotland in a normal year.
And the P1 to P6 pupils were rapt as farmer Gavin Maitland helped one of his ewes deliver twins, which just minutes later were wobbling to their feet to suckle.
Carole Brunton, RHET Fife Countryside Initiative project coordinator, said children “absolutely love” farm visits and added: “Today has been especially exciting because we had lambs born and they saw that.
It’s something they will never forget.”
Teacher Linda Taylor
“It’s something they will never forget; it’s a life-changing moment for a lot of these kids.”
Linda, who teaches the school’s P1/2/3 class, said the birth of a lamb was something only children from farming families were likely to have witnessed.
“For them it’s run of the mill but for the rest of the children it’s something totally unusual and unique.
“It will be the thing they remember most from today, all the goo and goop!”
But there was lots more to marvel at during the trip to the farm, near Newburgh, including alpacas and cows.
Linda has accompanied pupils on many farm visits and said: “They are fascinated by it. The questions we’ve had today have been amazing and they will go away and mull it over and on Monday we’ll have so many more questions.
“Dunbog is rural and we are so aware of the farming community around us, but so few of our children are actually from farming families.
“Agriculture is huge for Scotland and for our local area, so it’s important for the children to learn about something that’s vital to their area.”
The aim of RHET farm visits is to teach children about where food comes from.
Carole said: “We take children out to the countryside to see live, working farms so they have a connection with food, farming and the countryside.
Younger ones particularly are fascinated, their faces are a delight to watch.”
Farmer Kate Maitland
“They love it, they absolutely love it.”
Farmer Kate Maitland, who has children at Dunbog Primary School and is NFU Scotland regional manager, has hosted several school visits over the years.
She said: “Farm visits are crucial to enable children to learn where their food comes from and how important the countryside is to their wellbeing.
“Younger ones particularly are fascinated, their faces are a delight to watch.
“They love to see the animals and today, to see the lambs being born, was quite a treat for them.”
