NIXA, Mo. — Ozarks Technical Community College celebrated Mother’s Day by welcoming some new lambs to the flock.

“We had a set of twins and then one single,” said Heather Eberlin.

Eberlin is an agriculture instructor at OTC’s Richwood Valley campus, and over the past week, some new lambs were born.

“I think it’s great timing for it to come on Mother’s Day,” said Eberlin. “We’re expecting several more little ones running around so, it does make it a little more special.”

However, these new lambs are special.

“These are the first babies that we’ll have on the ground,” said Eberlin.

The program was moved in 2019 from the Springfield campus to the Richwood Valley Campus to allow for more opportunities for agriculture education.

“Adding the program down here at Richwood valley, it’s been huge to bring the program down here,” said Eberlin. “It’s allowed us to expand.”

The program offers real-world experience for agriculture students.

“Breeding techniques, what happens, how long is gestation, how long are the rams in, when do we pull the rams out, why do we pull the rams out, and then when can we expect lambs? It’s a spectrum all the way across the board from beginning to end,” said Eberlin.

“It’s actually been really good for me,” said Saige Fitzanko, an OTC Agriculture student. ” I, personally, don’t come from a family who has a lot of agriculture experience. We don’t own any farms or anything. So, it’s been awesome for me to get this experience.”

Fitzanko says the timing for the new lambs is beyond perfect.

“I honestly think it’s super sweet,” said Fitzanko. “I really just love that we got to have them now.”

Not long after the KOLR10 crew left the Richwood Valley campus another lamb was born, and more are expected to be born tomorrow.