Teeny weeny calf the only survivor of five siblings

In an extremely rare event, a cow on Thornvalley Farm outside East London gave birth to five calves.

Unfortunately only the smallest, now named “Lucky Gracie”, survived.

At just over a week old, the tiny calf is only a little bigger than her four-legged best friend  Marshall, a fully grown Jack Russell.

Weighing 8.7kg — five times less than other calves her age — Gracie is the smallest calf Thornvalley farm owners Kerry and William Boy have ever seen.

“The world record is five calves born at once, but it's unheard of in South Africa,” said Kerry, who has had little Gracie following her around everywhere for the week.

While Gracie's siblings did not survive, Kerry said all the calves were fully formed and that no fertility treatments were used during breeding.

Gracie's  mother, a five-year old cow named Quinn, was bred with a certified Osteloh Brahman bull, giving Gracie the signature Brahman hump over her neck and shoulders.

“She [Gracie] looks like a miniature Brahman or a Zebu, but she got her brown colouring from her mom, one of our breeding beef cows,” Kerry said.

“Gracie is definitely the smallest calf we've ever seen, but she's fully developed and eating properly. We sent pictures to our local farmers Whatsapp group and no-one can believe it. My husband thought Gracie wouldn't make it and even the vet can't believe she's still alive, but she has a fighting spirit and is doing really well.”

Now sleeping in a bunny hutch under a UV light for warmth at night, Gracie spent the first few days of her life sleeping inside in the family's braai area.

“She used to follow me around the house and still follows me everywhere. She thinks I'm her mom,” Kerry quipped.

Gracie is being bottle-fed by Kerry and her children as Quinn has no milk.

“I think her mom put everything she had into forming five calves so we've had to milk another cow who has recently given birth to feed Gracie. We've had to keep her [Gracie] in at night, because it just gets too cold. But her mom still calls for her and we take her out and leave them together during the day,” Kerry said.

She doesn't know how big Gracie will get, but expects perhaps around the size of a Shetland pony.

Frolicking on the farm's grassy hills with her mother and her canine companion, Gracie is as happy as can be and will spend the rest of her days on Thornvalley Farm.

MadeleineC@dispatch.co.za