Sheep breaks from flock, but joins the herd

Hercules, a merino ram, thinks this cow is his mother RELATED VIDEO Hercules runs with the bulls, and drinks from a cow Windows Media 28K 56K 3.2 MB / 24 sec. / 240x180 QuickTime movie Please enable Javascript

January 8, 1999
Web posted at: 6:37 p.m. EST (2337 GMT)

WESTERN VICTORIA, Australia (CNN) -- Michael Blake has farmed for 40 years in Western Victoria, but he had never seen a sheep become a cow.

"It was an extraordinary event for me. I've never experienced it," said Blake, describing the unusual life of one of his merino rams, named Hercules.

Hercules was orphaned at birth, but was soon adopted by a Hereford Cross cow on Blake's farm. The caring cow supplied the sheep with milk, and it now believes it's a calf and will only run with the farm's bulls.

The time is nearing, however, when the farm's calves are weaned from their mothers, and Hercules may have to learn to stop following the herd.

Reuters contributed to this report.