A Hereford cow in Co Clare pulled off a one in 180 million feat when she produced identical quadruplet Charolais heifer calves on Sunday morning.

Tom Clair from Maghera, Lahinch, Co Clare, awoke to one of the rarest sights he’s ever seen, he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“I got an awful shock. I can hardly even believe it yet,” Clair said.

Although he had not scanned the cow, he suspected she was carrying twins.

“I knew she was expecting twins. She was bulky and wearing so I had her singled out and I was looking after her well.”

The cow calved naturally after Tom checked her in the very early hours of Sunday morning. She seemed OK so he left her until 7.30am.

“There were two calves by her side and I said ‘Jesus you’ve done your job grand’,” he recalled.

“When I went into her, I spotted a third calf. I simply couldn’t believe my eyes. Next thing I could hear something mooing and hadn’t the fourth calf gone out through a doorway and into the yard.”

Next thing I could hear something mooing and hadn’t the fourth calf gone out through a doorway and into the yard

“The calves are doing mighty,” he reported. “They are the four loveliest little calves you’d ever lay an eye on. I’ve never seen four calves as healthy.

“We named them Rosie, Mia, Jenny and Fluffy. Any pair of them are big enough to be twins. The poor cow is worn out, so I’m partly feeding the calves with bottles.”

When asked about his future plans, the farmer remarked: “Oh, of course I’ll keep them. They’re going to get plenty of special treatment and down the road I’ll retain them for breeding.”

Clair has been inundated with calls from well-wishers and neighbours since word of his new arrivals spread.

The chance of a quadruplet pregnancy in cattle is one in 700,000.

The chance of quadruplets all being born alive is one in 11m, while the odds of quadruplets being born alive and all of the same sex are one in 180m.

Read more

Are there more twin calves being born in Ireland?