Killarney Guide

Henry Wolf delivers rare trio of bull calves on Valentine’s Day

BY KIM LANGEN

A very unusual set of triplet calves were safely born to a surprised cattle producer on the day of love.

Henry Wolf, who farms near Holmfield, was pretty pleased when one of his Black Angus cows delivered a nice bull calf on the evening of February 14. 

“After supper I went out and checked the cows, and I saw that she had started calving,” said Wolf, who runs around 33 head of breeding cows. “I put her in the barn, and around 9 p.m. she had a calf.”

But a second calf still inside the cow was in breech (backwards) position. So Henry assisted the cow in the calving barn, eventually bringing the calf out safely by moving it around just enough to be able to draw it out by the ‘butt’  – welcoming another good-sized bull calf.

Then, just around midnight out came an unexpected third pair of feet, and yet another bull calf was born into the bright, straw-filled pen.

“It was very rare,” said his brother Peter, who was helping out with the calves for a couple of days last week while Henry was away. “A cow having triplets is unheard of, and especially them all being the same sex, all bull calves.”

But it has happened before, a half-century ago, and in exactly the same place, he said.

“Henry’s farm used to be John Tschetter’s farm, back in the day,” said Peter. “He was my wife’s grandfather, and around 50 years ago there were triplet calves born on that same farm. It was very unusual, and apparently they called the newspaper. But I don’t think the editor at that time was interested, and it didn’t make the news. Not like it is now.”

Henry Wolf said the calves weighed around 60 pounds when they were born, less than the usual 90 to 100 pounds he normally sees. The kids all love them, and the calves are doing great, he said.

“It’s been a blast, and truly a blessing to see the three of them so bouncy, and running around,” he said. “I’m using some milk replacer, just to keep them well fed, and no, we haven’t given them names yet.”

Reports say the chance of triplet calves being born is just one in 100,000, with all same sex ones being even more rare.

But it was a special day, after all, being the feast day of the third-century Saint Valentine of Rome, who lived until the year 269. 

He is celebrated as being the patron saint of love, young people, and happy marriages. And more – including honeybees, and even the plague.

According to Catholic Online, “St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, and young people.”

The saint is often represented in pictures with birds and roses, and his feast day is celebrated on February 14, they said. 

It will now mark an extra-special day in the Wolf household calendar, thanks to a kind of miracle that took place in the calving barn on a cold February night in 2023.

SPECIAL VALENTINE’S DELIVERY – Holmfield farmer Henry Wolf (above) was pretty amazed when one of his Black Angus cows made an unusual Valentine’s Day delivery on February 14. A healthy set of triplet bull calves were born that evening, and the whole family has been enjoying the lively new arrivals. Above, from left, are children Addie Rae, Rosie (in Henry’s arms), Annie, and Elly. Below (right) Annie helps Dad with a supplemental bottle of milk, while Elly (right) feeds another triplet calf.

DEENA WOLF/PHOTOS