Video: Calf born with five legs finds home at Drenthe farm
Wilma Boerhof, a farmer in the Drenthe village of Dalerpeel, has taken in a quite unusual calf. The baby calf was born with five legs. The extra one dangles from one of its front legs.
“The leg is fully grown; it even has hooves,” Boerhof told RTV Drenthe. “But it doesn’t make [the calf] move any faster because it’s too small.”
Boerhof is known in the area for taking in calves with deformities. She received a call last week and didn’t hesitate. “When they told me it had a fifth leg, I said: Bring it on,” the farmer told the broadcaster.
For Boerhof, taking care of special animals is nothing strange. “I’ve been doing it my whole life. I used to care for birds with broken wings, making sure they could fly again.”
She’s happy to have the calf, whom she named Pootje - the Dutch word for “little leg,” but she’s not sure whether the fifth leg will be safe on the farm. “I’m far too afraid it’ll tear off if they play together. Out in the pasture, they play quite roughly with each other.”
She will discuss Pootje’s options with a veterinarian and figure out the best way to keep the calf healthy and safe. “Here, he gets a second chance,” she said.
