Posted on 05/22/2005 8:01:10 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) -- A cow in the middle of giving birth is often referred to as having six legs - its own four, and two from the baby on the way.
So Ben Hesselink didn't think much when an assistant herdsman at his parents' farm told him Friday to "check the calf with six legs."
What he saw was a surprise.
"Holy cow. It really has six legs," Hesselink said.
The six-legged Holstein bull calf was born Friday at Quonset Farms, a 700-cow dairy operation near Oostburg. The delivery appeared normal until farm hands took a closer look and saw two extra limbs protruding from the spine, almost like wings. Neither mother nor child appears to be in pain, Hesselink said.
"It's healthy. It's fine. It eats well. The mother is nursing it," he said.
Veterinarian Mike Demianiuk said the extra legs - one of which is about 18 inches and the other about 12 - are a genetic abnormality that occurs in around one in 3,000 births.
"The legs are called vestigal legs," Demianiuk said, "a part of the body in an abnormal position."
He said although the calf may look fine today, it could develop problems urinating or have an irregularly attached colon. His back right hip is deformed a bit, and he walks with a limp.
If the calf does turn out to be healthy, Hesselink said it probably will be raised for beef for the family.
They named him Dr. Octopus, of "Spider Man" fame.
Farmers. Gotta love their practical nature. LOL! (I'll post a photo if I can find one.)
Don't they have a twelve step program for things like this?
One out of 3,000 doesnt sound that abnormal. How many cows are born per year? I'm a city boy that thinks these odds aren't very odd.
It's all George Bush's fault.
I have seen two in my life. One had two extra useless legs coming out of the hip area. The other had two extra legs coming from the shoulder area.
I used to have a 4 legged chicken. It had two extra under developed useless legs coming from it's hip are too.
Does that make this animal and insect?
"How many cows are born per year? I'm a city boy that thinks these odds aren't very odd."
We currently have about 1.5 MILLION cows in Wisconsin, versus 2 million or so people. I can't find how many calves are actually born each year, but I'll keep looking.
That's what my inlaws told the youngest kid they were having when they ate rabbit.
Sell it to McDonalds.
Good one. This could be an udder disaster, but this calf will have a leg up on all the rest of them. Let's milk this one for all we can.
You Farmers keep working on those buffalo wings...Must be a pretty frisky rooster, breedin with a cow and all....
You might be correct about the number of cows residing in Wisconsin, but you are way off in state population. As of 1/1/2004 it was more than 5.5 million.
GOL. (Groaning Out Loud?)
Partially absorbed twin, I should think.
Excuse me if I find that funny...
Just how do you define deformed hamburger?
"Oh dear, I can't eat that, my patty is round! or "No way, thats a flat meatball!"
Sorry, sometimes I just can't help myself.... ;)
> This could be an udder disaster...
A four-legged bird and a four-legged beefer?
A cock and bull story!
I know! I thought of that later!
By the way, I like my pigs ground up in neat little tubes, grilled, and laying next to my eggs in the morning.
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