Residents of Chepsai village, Chevaywa location in Matete were treated to a rude shock after a cow belonging to one of them delivered a multi-deformed calf.
The incident occurred at the home of Nancy Mukoyia, where her cow delivered a male calf with a human skin, goat’s tail and head that resembles a sheep’s head.
She said the cow was supposed to have given birth in June this year but she was disturbed when its delivery time was prolonged, carrying the pregnancy for one year until Monday night when it gave birth to the abnormal calf.
“This cow has carried its pregnancy since September last year and I expected it to deliver by June but the late delivery was more prolonged than expected,” said Mukoyia.
She said the cow started showing the urge to deliver on Monday evening but it was unable to deliver by itself saying her efforts together with her neighbor to try and help it were also futile.
She later called a local private veterinary officer who managed to help it deliver and they were shocked by the deformities.
According to Mrs. Mukoyia she bought the cow from Matete market early last year while lactating though it didn’t have a calf adding that that was the first time to calve since she bought it.
“I milked it for about eight months without a calf until September last year when it got pregnant,” explained Mrs. Mukoyia.
The incident attracted throngs of villagers who visited the home to catch a glimpse of the deformed creature with a section of them attempting to superstitiously interpret the oddity.
Ms. Consolata Muchika said the cow might have been bewitched while pregnant thus leading to the abnormality.
Mr. Harun Sikuku, a businessman at Matete, said for over 50 years he’s been alive he has never witnessed such an incident, sentiments that were echoed by Collins Imbosa.
According to Lugari animals production officer Mr. Zachariah Mwaniki, the anomaly might be down to genetics or the cow might have fallen sick during the pregnancy and wasn’t treated thus affecting mutation and causing deformed growth to the calf.