Theo, 7, hands-on as he helps deliver two lambs at family farm

Aspiring young farmer seven-year-old Theo showed skill and determination as he delivered a pair of lambs on his family’s Aberdeenshire farm.

Located between Maud and New Deer is Mains of Shevado, where farmer and fisherman Andrew Cartney has brought his children into the family business.

Daughters Alexa and Johanna and son Theo have been assisting their father since they could practically walk.

Mr Cartney said: “He’s been coming out to the farm just as soon as he’s been able to walk, paying attention to what’s going on and having fun at the same time.

“He and his two sisters have been taking it in turns to do the lambing, each year they’ve got more involved and hands-on doing the messy work, and this time it was Theo’s turn.”

Having grown up with farm animals, the children have helped prepare bottles for baby calves and lambs before going to school.

Theo, who recently celebrated his seventh birthday, is already welltrained in lambing, having already delivered lamb triplets.

However, knowing the ins and outs of delivering baby animals, he managed to deliver two lambs by himself, much to his father’s delight.

It helped that threeyear-old ewe Louis was co-operative and lying down in the barn when giving birth.

While Mr Cartney says “things can get messy”, it doesn’t stop young Theo from donning his gloves and getting stuck in. Speaking to The Press and Journal, Theo said he was “quite confident” with delivering the lambs and he was “very proud” afterwards.

Theo got the honour of bestowing names on the pair of lambs, Jensen and Lucas, who he named after his friends.

Farming is something he has grown up with, however, the youngster would much rather be racing around the farm on his quadbike, helping gather the sheep than lambing.

When asked what his favourite part of working on the farm was, the cheeky young farmer said “getting paid”.

Mr Cartney was proud of his son and says all three of his kids understandably were a little “grossed out” by birthing at first.

But year on year they have got much better and look forward to helping their father.

He added that as time goes on it becomes “more enjoyable” to work alongside his children who are very hands-on at the family farm.

Theo Cartney was not sheepish with the task.

Hugs from Theo.