A farmer has told of his shock after a mutant two-headed calf was born to one of his cows.
The incident took place in Sao Miguel do Guapore, in the Brazilian state of Rondonia, last week.
Farmer and veterinarian Lucas Thaler said that the animal was stillborn, adding that he knew something was wrong before the birth, as the foetus was not moving inside the cow.
He explained: “It is normal for the baby to come out with its head in its hands. In this case, the paws were stretched out and coming out first.”
Despite the anomaly, Lucas opted for a natural birth, ruling out a cesarean section.
He said that there was enough space for the calf to pass through, but the procedure required a lot of effort from the cow and the management team.
The cow is recovering well and is being medicated to control pain and prevent infections, according to reports.
Thaler said that while he had never had a case like this before, he had heard of similar things happening to some of his colleagues.
He said that the calf was female, with normal genitalia but malformed nipples.
The formation of two heads on a single body occurs due to a failure in embryonic division, a process that also generates identical twins.
He said: “It was probably a genetic problem, perhaps linked to inbreeding, although this is rare.”
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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