Cow gives birth to a two-headed, two-tailed stillborn calf after C-section

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The veterinarians of the Animal Husbandry department undertook a complicated bovine Caesarean section in which a cow gave birth to a stillborn calf with two heads and two tails on Friday.

The complex surgery was carried out in the house of Sasidharan, a farmer in Thachottukavu, near Peyad.

The cow, which had gone into labour early Thursday, was first examined by R. Venugopal, deputy director at the Animal Husbandry Directorate. With the cow not giving birth even after 7 p.m., the official issued directions to organise a Caesarian section considering it was the animal’s third delivery.

A team comprising veterinary surgeon A.K. Abhilash of Thiruvananthapuram District Veterinary Centre and S. Bijesh of Tirupuram Veterinary Dispensary led the preparations for the surgery that commenced at 10 a.m. and concluded around 2 p.m. on Friday. The two-headed still born calf was taken out by the veterinarians.

According to Dr. Venugopal, animal off-springs with such physical abnormalities are rare. Caesarian section was the only option in such complex emergencies, he added.

The cow had been recovering well after the complicated surgery, District Animal Husbandry Officer T.M. Beena Beevi said.