Bull calf Ferdinand
Ferdinand had 5 legs
There’s almost nothing that doesn’t exist. At the beginning of February, a farmer couldn’t believe his eyes. He found a newborn calf in his barn that had a special feature: a fifth leg hanging from its neck. This was a deformity that had formed on the bull calf’s back. It was lying in the straw and the farmer thought “It’s dead!”. But Ferdinand was asleep, suddenly felt disturbed, got up and ran away. His young life was not destined to come to an end.
Animals with deformities are usually slaughtered
Ferdinand would not have been able to live in the herd with his fifth leg, as he might have injured himself and other animals. This is not a risk you take on a farm.
The owner of the bull calf didn’t see the fifth leg as a problem and wasn’t thinking about slaughter. The problem was that Ferdinand’s birthplace was a dairy farm with only female cattle. That was the real reason why Ferdinand couldn’t stay. The farmer’s thoughts went round in circles until he had the solution: hopefully Ferdinand would get a place at Gut Aiderbichl?
"No can do, no can do!..."
After more than 20 years of Gut Aiderbichl’s existence, more than 6,000 animals have been given a home for life. A solution was also found in the case of Ferdinand, and it is a wonderful sign from the farmer that he allowed Ferdinand to live. The calf is now leading a good, contented life at Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf. It was also special that the owner gave Ferdinand’s best friend, Gustl, along with him: “The two of them get on well!” he said with a smile.
So it was the best solution for everyone: for the farmer, who looked after the transporter with satisfaction, and for Ferdinand and Gustl, who grew up healthy and lively.
After several examinations, Ferdinand was operated on in a specialised clinic for cattle in Vienna. Only the shaved area on his spine is a reminder of the fifth leg.
Should Ferdinand have had a twin sibling?
A cow carries her calf in her belly for around 9 months. Calves that are born with more legs are usually born “completely normal”. For the calf, one, two or three legs on the back does not really mean any impairment. As in the case of Ferdinand, the legs can be surgically removed. Sometimes the limbs are connected to the rest of the body by bone, sometimes they are just fused to a fold of skin. Excess legs indicate that a twin has developed but has not finished developing. The legs of the dead embryo are connected to the growing embryo.
Ferdinand and his friend Gustl are two perfectly healthy, brown and white Fleckvieh bulls. They lick each other, cuddle close together in the straw and compete for their milk. The little horns grow a little more every day – all is well.
We would like to thank all of Gut Aiderbichl’s supporters for helping us to finance operations like the one Ferdinand needed.
The animal has a feeling heart like you, the animal has joy and pain like you, the animal has a tendency to strive like you, the animal has a right to live like you.
– Peter Rosegger
