In southwestern Ontario, Ruthven farmer Abram Knelsen, a Mennonite who primarily speaks Low German, had a rare and joyous experience when one of his Aberdeen Angus cows gave birth to quadruplet calves in a single afternoon. Knelsen, who has been raising cows for many years, described the event as a miraculous surprise, making him the happiest person on Earth.
The extraordinary birth took place on Tuesday, and by Wednesday afternoon, all four newborn calves were active, vocalizing for milk, and exploring Knelsen’s farm. According to reports by the BBC, the likelihood of quadruplets being born in cows is approximately one in 700,000, with the chances of all four calves being born healthy at one in 11 million.
Knelsen, a devout man, emphasized that there was no medical intervention involved in the natural breeding process of the mother cow and the bull named Charlie, who fathered the quadruplets. The rare group of newborns consists of three male calves and one female calf.
Christine Knelsen, Abram’s daughter-in-law, shared the excitement of the family upon learning about the quadruplets through updates in a group chat. Initially informed of twins, they were astonished to later discover three calves and eventually four, leaving them overjoyed by the unexpected but welcomed addition to their livestock.
With the arrival of the quadruplets, Knelsen’s cattle count increased to seven, a development he views as a fortunate occurrence given that he raises his cows for beef production. Recognizing the financial value of Aberdeen Angus bulls on the market, Knelsen sees the quadruplets as a significant and positive investment, describing the event as a windfall of four calves born simultaneously.