A Seagahan farmer beat 1-in-100,000 odds with the surprise birth of healthy triplet calves named Daisy, Maisy, and Crazy.
The triplets got the cute names Daisy, Maisy, and Crazy. They were born on Glenview Cottage Farm near Armagh city. Their mom is a Simmental Limousin cross heifer.
Kyle McCall, the farmer, spoke about the birth. He expected twins, but was still shocked. He almost choked when the third calf came.
Kyle did not scan his cows this year. He was too busy and missed the right timing. Kyle called this calving “blind.” The triplet birth was a complete surprise.
He thought his cow might have twins two weeks earlier. She appeared heavy and looked healthy. He started giving her extra feed for the potential twins. Kyle also worried about feeding her too much. It could result in a very big single calf, risking a needed C-section to deliver the calf.
Other farmers had problems with large calves this spring. Some calves weighed 100 kilos at birth. Kyle worried that he could create a big problem. Still, he continued to feed her extra food as his cow kept getting bigger.
On Tuesday, February 11, the cow went into labor. Kyle immediately knew it was more than jsut a single big calf. Four feet appeared at once with no heads present.
Kyle knew he faced a very complicated birth. It took some time, but he successfully delivered the calves himself. Kyle has lots of experience with calving cows. He has calved 160 cows yearly for 30 years.
He knew what he was doing, even with difficulties. The cow pushed two calves into the canal, leaving very little room to work. The whole process took about 90 minutes.
By 2 AM on Wednesday, the farmer delivered two calves. Then Kyle noticed some extra blood. He checked the cow’s birth canal, looking for a tear.
He inserted his arm six inches to feel for a tear. He went another six inches at a time. He kept going until his whole arm was inside her. Then he felt another foot and was shocked.
Two of the new calves are heifers, named Daisy and Maisy. The third calf is a bull. He named this one Crazy. The name fits him very well.
Kyle joked that the bull calf is a “nut job.” He is skipping and playing around the house and playfully pokes people with his head. Kyle thinks he’s a playful little boy.
All three calves are healthy and lively. They are very playful for multiple births, as multiples can be delicate. These triplets, though, are healthy.
The caring farmer stayed with the cow and calves, worried she might roll onto one. She wasn’t ready to manage three babies. However, they are feeding well. The mother is doing fine.
He had bad luck before with a multiple birth, making this successful birth especially appreciated. Years back, a cow had a multiple birth with four dead calves. He was young and angry then. He never thought he would see it again, so now he has triplets, an event he is unlikely to see again.