Five calves from one mother equals world record

A farmer from Shropshire has matched the Guinness World record for the number of calves born in a single birth.

Five living Belgian Blue x Limousin calves were born on Don Constable’s farm in Hinstock, Shropshire, last month and are developing well.

It is believed this is the first time this many calves from a single birth have been born alive in the UK. According to the Guinness World Records, five is the most calves born in a single birth and that was on a ranch in Mexico in 2005.

Mr Constable described the rare occurrence as a “magical moment”. “I was convinced the cow would be having twins as she was so big. The first three were born and then the vet turned to me and said there were still two more to come. It was unbelievable, a really amazing and magical moment.”

According to Countrywide Ruminant sales specialist Howard Brown they have never seen anything like this. “Some of us have three calves born with low survival rates, but never five,” he said.

• For more weird calf stories including a giant calf recently born visit https://www.fwi.co.uk/blogs/rural-life/2011/08/ouch-1.html