A calf with two heads has been born at a cattle ranch in the United States.

The unique animal was discovered by Heather Herman, 30, at her family ranch in Montana.

Ms Herman said she was surprised when she found the calf while inspecting the livestock.

She said: ‘I was doing one of my daily checks through our herd and noticed a cow alone so I went to check on her.

‘The calf was laying next to her but from a distance I could tell something wasn’t quite right. I had very mixed reactions when I realized what was wrong.

‘You never want to lose a calf or have one of your animals suffer in any way. I honestly didn’t want to look at it when I realized what it was.’

Ms Herman  was amazed the calf’s mother was able to deliver the animal by herself without human assistance and said she could have easily died.

She’s now back to normal and her health was not affected.

Sadly the calf didn’t make it and died shortly after it was born.

Ms Herman said it wasn’t the first time a two-headed calf had been born at the ranch but the other one came way before her time.

She added: ‘Talking with my Grandma she had seen a two-headed calf one other time. No one else I’ve talked to had ever seen it.’

Double-headed mammals are rare but can occur when an embryo splits, but not completely, or when two separated embryos incompletely fuse.

Source:
courtesy of METRO

by Jimmy Nsubuga

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