One-in-11 million arrivals on Tyrone farm

THERE was an extremely rare and truly unique special delivery on the Blair family farm, near Strabane, on Friday morning when one of their cows gave birth to healthy quadruplets.

Farmer Richard Blair, his dad Willie and daughter Lucy assisted in the birth of the quartet of new arrivals which were sired by an Aberdeen Angus stock bull.

The chances of a cow giving birth to four healthy calves is one in 11.2 million.

For all three generations of the Blairs it was most definitely a first, and Richard was delighted to report that mother – a fourth time calver -and babies are doing well.

“The cow was out in the field when she started to calve, so we brought her in to investigate,” he said.

“She had twins on July 1 last year. She was massive so I thought she could have twins again!

“I put my hand in to see what was taking place and immediately I found four feet so that confirmed more than one calf.

“Then it was a case of one calf after another, I couldn’t believe it.”

The arrival of the four calves has stood much discussion in the locality with neighbouring farmers sharing their disbelief of events on the Blair farm.

Disbelief

Richard said local vets at the Parkview practice were equally-intrigued as to the reasons for the multiple births.

“I had a herd test reading last week and the vet couldn’t believe it either,” continued the Evish Road dairy farmer.

“She was asking had the cow received any kind of injection (to boost fertility) but it was totally natural.

“My dad is 79 and he has never seen the like of it before and I told my daughter Lucy that she will never see the like of it again.”

The first three calves were presented properly – head and front feet first – while number four was coming backwards.

That can present complications and indeed did in this case until Lucy intervened.

“The last calf was back-to-front and initially there wasn’t much sign of life,” added Richard.

“But Lucy used a piece of straw to tickle its nose (a trick of the trade) and that made it sneeze and it began breathing.”

Lucy’s quick-thinking ensured a happy ending to this particular tale which no doubt wil be talked about for weeks, months, years and possibly generations to come.