400,000-to-one triplet calves in Co Clare

It was a case of ‘third time’s the charm’ for a west Clare farmer last week when his cow calved down three healthy triplet heifer calves.

The chance of triplet calves arriving safely is thought to be in the region of 150,000 to one, rising to around 400,000 for same-sex triplets. Declan Fennell, a suckler farmer from Cooraclare, noticed his eight-year-old Belgian Blue cow getting very big, so he decided to keep her in the shed on straw for the past two months.

Having not scanned the cow because she was too big for the crush, he didn’t know she was having triplets, but took the precaution anyway.

Last Thursday night, 15 January, Fennell noticed the cow beginning to calf. The Co Clare farmer told the Irish Farmers Journal that when he handled her, he “met a tail, a calf coming backwards”.

Fennell immediately rang his vet, Seamus Burke from Shannonside Veterinary in Kilrush. Burke arrived shortly after and was able to pull the three calves, two coming backwards and the last forwards. The suckler farmer said he is delighted with the three calves and thanked his vet for delivering them safely. The calves, which are Limousin heifers out of the Belgian Blue cow were described as “right healthy and hopping around the cabin” by the farmer.

They are feeding off the cow, who is also doing well. “She always has great calves,” Fennell added.