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[Gary]

Many of you know I am currently living south of Hobart in a caravan park with farmshow, Tassie Devils, and Platypus in the river. I am working at the park most days and am well on my way to becoming the archetypical "gentleman farmer".

We (Rowan and Leanne the owners) and I manage about 20 sheep, chooks, ducks, a couple of beef cattle and Wattle the house cow.

Now Wattle a very gentle pure bred Guernsey was in calf and last Saturday night went in to labour, hopes were high that she would produce a little heifer as their previous 9 calves had all been males. Anyway at about 8.17 pm Wattle gave a big push and a little brown calf entered the world, Rowan approached and joyously announced “It’s a girl!” Wattle being the proud mum started to clean up her baby although her contractions continued, this (apparently) is normal to expel the afterbirth. However the contractions got stronger and I asked “are you sure there is not another one?” Rowan walked around the back of Wattle and there was another foot presenting but this one needed a bit of help, with me holding and Rowan manipulating he got the second leg into view and in the right position. Wattle pushed while we pulled and at 8.32 another calf saw the rapidly fading light of day. The joyous cry (louder than the first) echoed off the surrounding hills “It’s another girl.”

The worry now was that cattle often do not recognise twins, the mother will gravitate and feed the one closest to her and more or less abandon the other one. Cattlemen have actually been known to tie or chain twins together to convince the mother that she has an eight legged two headed calf. We need not have worried, Wattle proved herself the perfect mother moving between the two, licking and nuzzling them in turns. We did (for the next few days anyway) ensure that the calves remained in very close proximity to each other.



This is the first born and has been named "Bella"



The second born now named "Lulu".



Wattle with Lulu lying down and Bella standing.



Bella, Wattle and Lulu.

[Charles]

Great story and lovely photos Gary.

[Alicia]

All the best to the mother, twins and the grandparents.

[Flin]

You certainly have a lot of good adventures, eh?

[scepo]

They sure look healthy and well nourished.