Beauty and tragedy often intertwine in unexpected ways.
That was the case for Angus Beef Cattle Farm owners B.J. and Kellie Payne at Strathmerton.
On Saturday, May 25, the Paynes noticed one of their cows struggling to give birth.
As any conscientious farmers would do, Mr and Mrs Payne, alongside a vet, decided to assist the nine-year-old beast.
“My husband, B.J., walked it up from the back paddock, and he checked her (the cow) a couple of times as they were walking up,” Mrs Payne said.
“My husband told me to call Cobram vets, and we got the cow up to the cattle yards.”
With all hands on deck, the soon-to-be mother gave birth to a little heifer alive and breathing.
Ms Payne said no-one believed the newborn could survive, given how long the birth took.
Unfortunately, though the heifer was breathing, all was not what it seemed.
A closer inspection showed the baby cow had two heads, four ears, four eyes, two noses and two mouths.
“We were all totally blown away with what we had witnessed,” Ms Payne said.
Statistically, the chance of a cow being born with more than one head is one in 400 million, and most with this abnormality are stillborn.
Although the calf survived the birth, it had to be put down.
“The vet decided it wasn’t going to survive, so she euthanised the calf,” Mrs Payne said.
It wasn’t just the Paynes and the vet who were shocked by the turn of events.
According to Mrs Payne, her husband’s brother-in-law and sister, who also witnessed the birth, had also — not surprisingly — never seen such a sight.
Ms Payne said the calf’s mother stayed by her deceased offspring’s side, cleaning her as all mother cows do.
“We left her with her for 48 hours to let her (the mother cow) grieve the loss of her baby girl,” Ms Payne said.
“She was such a good mum.”