Holy cow! ‘Miracle drought calf’ is born with an extra LEG on his back – and he seems otherwise healthy

• Cattle farmer has shared an image of a deformed calf she hopes is ‘good luck’ 
• Melissa Culverson said the male calf was born a month ago with deformities 
• Born with an extra leg and a deformed head, which she hopes will stop drought 

A grazier has shared a photo of a cow she called her ‘miracle drought calf’ after it was born with a deformed head and an extra leg. 

A picture of the male calf posted to the One Day Closer to Rain Facebook page showed leg hanging from the cow’s back. 

Cattle farmer Melissa Culverson captioned the image as ‘drought miracle calf’. 

New South Wales grazier Melissa Culverson took to social media to share an image of a ‘drought miracle calf’ (pictured) which was born with an extra leg and a deformity of the head 

‘Wow how interesting! Hopefully he is healthy! What an amazing thing to happen,’ one Facebook user wrote. 

‘I saw a similar one a few years ago during a stock truck rollover. It was full grown and came running out. Everyone stopped to check it out,’ another added. 

Mrs Culverson said the calf was about a month old and also has a ‘bit of a lump’ on his head. 

One grazier suggested the calf was born with a genetic defect called Development Duplication (DD), also known to as polymelia.

It is a genetic condition which impacts on Angus and Angus-influenced cattle and causes them to grow an extra limb.

In most cases cattle born with the deformity are still able to ‘flourish’.   

However another farmer said his wife, who had worked with livestock for three decades, had ‘never seen anything like it before’. 

Meanwhile another farmer had his own explanation. 

‘The stronger calf absorbed the weaker calf in vitro as the twin would have died… and in drought you absorb what you can, so sad, ‘ he wrote. 

With her farm ravaged by drought Mrs Culverson was thinking positively about the deformed calf. 

‘We (are) hoping it means good luck,’ she wrote. 

With her farm ravaged by drought Mrs Culverson said her ‘drought miracle calf’ was hopefully a sign of good luck (stock image)

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