Rare Quadruplet Calves Born!

3 calves were born before the family even realized the Mama was pregnant!


Eeeny, Meeny, Miny, Moo!

The cow, described by Dora as "just a run of the mill red cow," had been bred to an Angus bull, so all 4 of the calves are black.

Twin births aren't all that unusual for cattle, but according to Veterinary Obstetrics and Genital Diseases, the odds of a cow having quadruplets are 1:700,000. The odds of having all four calves born alive are 1:11.2 million.

"They seem well-developed," says Dora, although all 4 are "just a bit small." The female, Meenie, is the smallest at just 25 pounds. A healthy birth weight is around 75 pounds.

Two neighboring families are helping to raise 3 of the calves, including one with a Jersey cow who had a calf the same day and is able to provide plenty of milk.

I think that's incredibly smart to have the neighbors help nurse the calves. Especially with as tiny as they are. I'm sure because they are so teeny, a vet with be checking them to make sure there's no irregularities with them. Hopefully all is ok and it's just a matter of them being small, nothing nature won't cure with some Mama's milk. Hopefully.

Here's wishing they all survive the odds and grow incredibly big and strong like their folks. I imagine one would have been a surprise, but it seems 4 had to have been quite the shock! They are cute as a button though! LOL Amazing story with amazing odds!

a reply to: Anyafaj

Awww....I hope they all survive ok.

My ewe birthed triplets last week and boy, was she shocked!!! They are all doing fine.

Thanks for the thread, Anya.

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Anyafaj

Awww....I hope they all survive ok.

My ewe birthed triplets last week and boy, was she shocked!!! They are all doing fine.

Thanks for the thread, Anya.

Anytime! My daughter LOVED that you named one after her dog. She laughed and really enjoyed that. Thanks again! It really made her day.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Callie is having fun in the meadow, running about with her siblings. I took her an apple and the little ones nosed it around on the ground but mama loved it. :-) Tell your daughter I will post a pic so she can see her.

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Anyafaj

Callie is having fun in the meadow, running about with her siblings. I took her an apple and the little ones nosed it around on the ground but mama loved it. :-) Tell your daughter I will post a pic so she can see her.

She'd love that. She calls the dog her "Sissy", as in sister. I bet you she'll think of your Callie as a kindred Sister as well.

a reply to: Anyafaj

Oooh, what a great name for her sister...Kindred! Thank you!!!! Callie and Kindred....I like it!

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Anyafaj

Oooh, what a great name for her sister...Kindred! Thank you!!!! Callie and Kindred....I like it!

Oh how adorable! You'll have to post photos of the others, maybe I can help name the rest. Tee hee!

a reply to: Anyafaj

We now have 8 babies, unnamed, 2 weeks old. I WILL work on the pics.

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Anyafaj

We now have 8 babies, unnamed, 2 weeks old. I WILL work on the pics.

If you have any black ones, I'm always fond of the name Midnight or Shadow. LOL I'll admit, I tend to name all my black cats such. Though my last black and white cat that died of cancer I had named Sasha, and her color twin was named Kiley.


Here's a picture of Kiley before we gave her to a friend before we moved. I hear they gave her to a shelter and she was put down.

She loved hiding in warm laundry baskets. The family gave her away before she was ready. She loved sleeping under my covers, again hiding. If not, you could find her hiding under my bed. This is a rare pic of her because it was rare to find her out in the "wild". Usually she was hiding from hoomans. From the time she was a baby, all she did was hide.



Edit: I'm half Irish, we consider black cats good luck. So I tend to adopt a black cat before another color. Plus I know black cats get euthanized first because they don't get adopted out a lot.

a reply to: Anyafaj

I am full Irish and always had black cats until my Rufus came along. He is a long haired orange cat that seriously resembles a mini lion.

All 3 of my dog are black. Our sheep are Barbados and have black bellies.

Like the name Shadow!

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Anyafaj

I am full Irish and always had black cats until my Rufus came along. He is a long haired orange cat that seriously resembles a mini lion.

All 3 of my dog are black. Our sheep are Barbados and have black bellies.

Like the name Shadow!

I used to have a orange cat named Tabby growing up, a grey one name Star, her twin Ginger died shortly after birth. Star refused to eat and was essentially force fed until she began eating on her own. A black and white cat named Sir Hops-A-Lot, or Hopsy for short. A calico cat, named Patches. A brown guinea pig named Hershey. (After the chocolate bar. LOL) A white guinea pig I named John, after John The Baptist, don't ask! LOL It was a friend's recommendation I had a crush on in college. A black and white lab/Sheltie/Spaniel mix named Samantha, nicknamed Sammers, or Sammy.