Limerick home to most fertile cow in the world?
Five into one does go: Dr Dan Ryan, Ger Kirby, Ronan and Ruth Kirby, Ger Kirby Snr, Jack and Harry Flynn, Alan Kirby and David Ryan with the amazing cow and five calves. Picture: John O'Brien
A LIMERICK cow is set for the Guinness Book of World Records after having an incredible 16 calves in just four calvings.
Ger Kirby, Ballyneety owns the amazing seven-year-old Friesian that started her unheard of run with four calves when she was a heifer in 2009.
She followed this up with quintuplets in 2011 but then took it handy with just twins in 2012.
But she was back to top form with another five calves last week. To put the remarkable series in context the odds of a cow having triplets is less than half a per cent.
And best of all the cow and calves are thriving.
“She went into a lot of shock after it but today she is chewing the cud,” said Ger, who was speaking on Tuesday.
And her offspring are understandably small but they have their mum’s toughness.
“They are hardy out, running up and down, not a bother on them,” said Ger.
The calves have proved a big hit with his children Ronan, 10, Alan, 9 and Ruth, 5.
“They love coming out to see them and feeding them,” said Ger. The last time the cow had quintuplets one died but almost two weeks in these five are thriving.
Ronan, Alan and Ruth brought the calves to Roxborough National School to show them to their friends the last time and would love to do it again.
Ger got plenty of specialist help with his cow that has astounded dairy reproduction specialist, Dr Dan Ryan and vet, Peadar Mulvihill.
“All the vets and Dan have been great, they’ve been dropping in to see how she is getting on,” said Ger.
He thinks this will be her last calving as she certainly deserves a break after 16 calves in four years!
He plans to leave her off with the five calves and enjoy her retirement. And it will be a long one as she will be kept as a family pet.
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Friday 24 May 2013
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