When a trio of newborn lambs entered the world and took their first tentative steps Sunday afternoon, three-year-old Kara Victor was there to coo over the cuties and watch as their mothers cleaned and nursed them.

"The baby was trying to get up. The baby kept falling down," said Kara, who came with her parents and younger sister, 2-year-old Malea, from Lincoln City to visit her grandparents.

They decided a trip to Oregon State University's Sheep Center to see the lambs being born would be a fun and educational activity.

The only problem?

Kara wanted to take a lamb home.

"They're cute," she said.

Kara and Malea's mom, Gina Victor, took the opportunity to teach her girls a little about the lambing process.

When a ewe is about to give birth, sheep center employees put up a special pen to separate her from the other pregnant ewes who might mistake her lambs for their own and try to abscond with them, she explained.

The girls' grandparents, Deb and Jim Hammett, suggested the weekend outing at the recommendation of one of Jim's coworkers recommendation.

"It's always fun when you're with your grandkids, no matter what you're doing," he said.

Lambing tours began March 8, and already the center has drawn more than 1,000 visitors. As of Sunday afternoon, 32 ewes had given birth to 68 lambs.

More than 180 Polypay and Suffolk ewes are expected to give birth to several hundred lambs at the center this spring.

The Polypay can be recognized by their white faces, while the Suffolk sheep have black masks, according to Sheep Center employees. Cross-bred lambs are spotted, or "brockled."

The animals are part of ongoing research studies in animal health, breeding, feeding and grazing management conducted by the OSU Agricultural Experiment Station. They're also used in instructional programs in OSU's department of animal sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine.

Most ewes give birth to twins, but it's not uncommon to see single births or triplets, said Amanda Bellando, a Linn-Benton Community College student studying animal science and working toward becoming a certified veterinary technician.

Lambs weigh about four pounds on average when they're first born. The gestation period for ewes is about five months.

Bellando lives in an apartment above the Sheep Center, where she works in exchange for rent.

Although sometimes all the bahhing can get a bit loud, "you get used to it after awhile," Bellando said.

Bellando grew up raising sheep in Silverton, but for those unaccustomed to the agrarian lifestyle, the center provides an excellent learning opportunity - as well as free entertainment, said Corvallis resident Marty Lowry, who came to see the lambs with her husband and two daughters.

"We just thought it would be a neat experience for the girls to be able to see the lambs when they're born and have that exposure to nature. That's not something you get to do often," she said.

The Lowry girls, Casey, 10, and Devin, 15, watched the lambs nurse, and laughed as siblings fought over prime position at the feed bucket.

"I really like seeing how the different ages interact with each other and the different stages," said Devin.