Area farm family discovers a rare birth

HARTINGTON — An amazing one-in-a-million birth has happened at the Mike and Tonya Heithold farm in Cedar County.

One of Caden Heithold’s ewes had five lambs Feb. 18.

“It’s a one-in-a-million to have five,’’ he said.

Research online about such a birth says it happens once in a generation. The Heitholds have also had five sets of triplets and two sets of twins in the past.

The mother ewe was bought in January with a group of 10 others, according to Heithold.

He said the ewe had two lambs and he put her in a stall. His Mom, Tonya, went down at noon and there were three more.

“I went down to the barn and saw there were five lambs,’’ his Mom, Tonya Heithold, said. “I called my husband, Mike, and he said, ’What the heck.’ I have never heard of anyone else having five lambs.’’

Caden’s older brother, Alex, 25, had to pull the third lamb.

“The ewe had two and then seemed like she was having trouble with the third lamb so my brother, Alex, pulled it. Then the other two came just fine,’’ Caden Heithold said.

Caden Heithold is a Cedar Catholic junior. He plans to attend Northeast Community College, Norfolk, following graduation to study livestock management and agriculture production.

He is the first in his family to become involved in this business. His folks raise cattle and hogs, but no sheep.

His younger brother, Carson, 13, has joined Caden’s efforts and bought his first livestock last week.

“He’s following in my footsteps. He’s pretty good help,’’ Caden said of his brother. “We’ve proven the point that we can handle it. We just got 16 more in Minnesota. We have a good healthy flock with good quality. Our parents want us to do what is right with them. We have stepped up to do that.’’

Caden’s friend, Noah Arens, has also become interested in the business and started with his own flock.

“Noah and I talk quite often about it,’’ Caden said. “I got started when I won money in a college March Madness contest. I bought six head. We had four sets of twins. Soon, I had 14 lambs. I liked it and expanded off of that. I am in my sixth year of lambing. I try to stay on top of it. I just thought one day that I wanted to get into sheep. My business got started and I went on from there. I just keep with it.”

He is not currently in FFA or ag classes, but his accounting class has been helpful.

“Accounting class has helped me complete totals, cash flow and all that. A chart helps. The markets are pretty good right now,” he said.

He hopes to get a group ready to sell around Easter.

The young Heithold’s livestock operation now has five first calf heifers and 40 ewes.

“The lambs need to be fed about every five to six hours,’’ Caden Heithold said. “I bottle feed them about midnight every night, then again at 6:30 a.m. and at about 5:30 p.m. I text my Mom to feed them at noon. Four times a day the lambs are fed.’’

His favorite thing about the business is lambing season.

“I like getting the animals to feeder-pound weight,’’ he said. “I put out replacements and sell a nice group of feeder lambs. I like to be involved in agriculture and nature. Ever since I started, every year is fun. Everyone finds something that they like to do. This is what I have found. I just do the best I can. I just keep going and am looking forward to a good market at Easter.”

He has been fortunate so far, only losing one lamb over the years.

“The lamb was a little triplet, born with no neck support,” he said.

February has been the active month for lambing. Caden said the lambs began to come Jan. 28.

“We’re a little over half way done,’’ he said. “I have 26 white-faced ewes and 14 speckled-faced ewes. I have wool-type lambs. I have more diversity. I have 26 Polypay Dorset Cross with white faces. I have 14 Polypay Suffolk Cross speckled face.’’

“I had some good Suffolks one year and thought about showing,’’ he said. “I am working to get a good bloodline.’’

He has seven lambing pens in the barn including four stalls that are 5’ x 8’ and three stalls that are 10’ x 14 or 12’ in measurement.

“I can have 10 locked up ready to lamb then send them out to two sheds. I also have a big pen in the middle. I have 11 ewes and 22 lambs in out sheds with outside pads. The lambs are ready for creep feed. When the lambs are two-three weeks old they will get their shots including tetanus, Enterotoxemia (Overeating Disease) of sheep and band their tails.’

Ironically of 36 lambs, Caden Heithold ended up with 18 rams and 18 ewes.