News: Spencer, Wis. - Triplets Born (Holstein Cow - 1954)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Farnsworth, Ebert

----Source: The Loyal Tribune (Loyal, Clark Co., WI.) March 25, 1954

Triplets Born (Holstein Cow - 1954)

One of the oddities of the year in the farm world occurred Monday and Tuesday of this week on the farm of Erwin Farnsworth, Spencer route 2, located in the community of Veefkind southeast of Loyal. 

Triplets were born to a 12 year old Holstein cow.  The first calf was born Monday evening while the next two were born within ten minutes of each other about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

According to Farnsworth, the cow had been bred many times but never produced anything but a single calf before.  And although he has had several twin births in his herd in the past, this was the first occasion of triplets, and has he said, "The first time I ever heard of it, -- it really amazed me."

The cow was bred artificially out of Pabst Burke Frysian, a Holstein bull of the Tri-State Breeders. Walter Ebert, Loyal, was the inseminator.  In all his years at this type of work and in the breeding of over 20,000 cows, Ebert stated this was the first case of triplets to come to his attention.

The three calves were all of average size and weight. They all appeared to be in good healthy condition on Tuesday night as they frisked about as pictures of them were taken.