Mixed reactions amidst excitement as Kiambu cow gives birth to triplets

A cow has defied odds and given birth to three healthy calves in Kihingo village Kiambu town Kiambu County.

The triplets born on Wednesday night were discovered by the owner early in the morning while going to milk the cow.

All three were unassisted births born by a Friesian cow through artificial insemination from a local veterinarian. They are doing well and are being bottle fed.

According to Fredric Karia who gave the insemination said that it is a rare spectacle since there was nothing special about the semen since he got it from an agent.

“For the many years I have inseminated cows I have never seen a cow give birth to three calves unassisted. The semen is imported from the USA which I have used on other cows but have not seen other cows give birth to either twins or triplets,” said Karai.

Karai said that the cow is well fed hence its capability to give birth to triplets although the milk from its udder is yet to come out for the triplets to start suckling.

“I always advise farmers to use artificial insemination since one would save the cow from many diseases and one is sure that the breed that is going to be sired will have a lot of milk,” said Karai.

He added that milking cows should be given a lot of proteins and also dairy meal and a lot of salt. He said that farmers should be giving the cows balmer lawn grass, Napier grass, machicha due to calcium and be keeping silage.

Joseph Kihara, a neighbor said that it is a blessing to the farmer for his cow to give birth to three healthy heifers which are healthy and the village has never witnessed anything like that.

“I have never heard a cow giving birth to triplets and it is a blessing since the calves are all healthy and are heifers,” said Karai.

Kihara said that once the news got out people had been visiting to come and witness and wanting to know the secret or the semen given so that they too can try.

Mary Wanjuguna, a neighbor, said she came to witness and to know the semen given since she also has cows and is in the milk business.

“The veterinarian told me that the semen given was the usual he gives to cows in the village and other villages and since I rare cows too I hope even my cow which was also inseminated will give birth to triplets,” said wanjuguna.

She however said that they are proud to be the first village in Kiambu to have a cow that has given birth to three health heifers at once.