This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
A rare calf was born with two heads attached to one body in Lare Village, Njoro, on November 2, 2019. The unusual birth occurred when a cow, owned by James Maina, gave birth to the deformed calf.
According to Maina, the cow had been showing signs of restlessness for several days before the birth, and he had to call for assistance from his neighbors. 'I was expecting the cow to deliver in ten days but on Friday morning it started showing restlessness. In the evening it burst its water but there was no sign of a calf. It was its first time delivery,' Maina said.
John Njuguna, a long-time dairy farmer and elder, checked on the cow and informed Maina that this would not be a normal delivery. 'The calf didn't present itself normally. I couldn't feel its legs but there were two heads. We had to call a veterinary officer for assistance,' Njuguna said.
The veterinary officer assisted the cow in giving birth, but the calf died an hour later. The calf had two heads with one ear on each, two mouths, and four eyes, shocking the residents of Lare Village.
Despite the loss of the calf, Maina's wife, Rose, expressed her joy that the mother cow survived and looked healthy even after the incident. 'It is sad that the female calf which would have given birth to many other cows died minutes after birth. It couldn't stand and was weak. It is a great loss but am glad its mother survived. It matters to us more than the calf. However, am worried about future deliveries should this continue happening,' Rose said.
Residents of Lare Village flocked to the Maina's home to view the rare mutant calf, with many questions in their minds. Dr. Githui Kaba, the Nakuru County Director for Veterinary Services, assured the farmer that chances of this recurring were very slim, adding that such calves do not survive for long.
‘Most calves born with such complications die within hours or at most live for three days. It is almost impossible for such births to recur from the same cow. The abnormalities are not genetic but happen during the development of the foetus,’ Dr. Githui said.
