David Cregan got a fright when the calf, named Hop-along Cassidy, arrived on his farm.

"I saw one leg coming out and I straightened it, but I couldn't see the other one," he told the Farmers Journal. "He was born on Tuesday and it was Thursday before he was able to stand. He's a fine calf otherwise."

The calf has received a lot of visitors so far, with local children developing a fondness for the new arrival.

"The novelty will wear off soon, I can assure you," said David.

Unsurprisingly, the calf is a bit unsteady on his feet and doesn't have a good sense of direction.

"I asked the vet and he said after 18-months or two years he won't be able to carry the weight," he said. "We will have to see."

Local vet Fachtna Collins said he has never seen anything like it before.

"I am a vet for 18 years and I've seen calves with a stump or missing part of a leg, but never this," he said. "Cassidy is lively and healthy though.

"The biggest problem is his weight. The front legs would support most of the weight. We might have to start a campaign for a prosthetic leg."