Bonneville Co. Cow Gives Birth To Healthy Triplets

What are the odds of a cow giving birth to healthy triplets?

About 1 in 8 million, said one Bonneville County farmer.

Beef farmer Bruce Hansen found out just how rare it is yesterday, when one of his cows gave birth to three healthy female calves.

Hansen said he did some research, and the odds were not at all in favor of the incredible birth. A cow giving birth to triplets of the same sex is incredibly rare.

Still, said Hansen, mama cow is giving all the girls equal attention — another rarity.

“A lot of times you’ll get twins and sometimes they’ll mother the one and abandon the other,” he said. “But she’s mothered all three of them, mothered them well and taken care of them.”

Mama cow’s age, said Hansen, adds to how incredible the whole thing is. At 15, she’s 3 to 5 years older than any other cow he’s kept around.

He said mom is doing well, and is getting a little extra TLC with a private pen and extra food and water.