The calf lies on sacking next to its mother at a farm in Gangaikondan, south India
The calf lies on sacking next to its mother at a farm in Gangaikondan, south India
A baby calf with two heads, four eyes and two mouths has become a local attraction in Gangaikondan, south India.

A video taken on January 1 shows lines of curious spectators queueing up to see the newborn creature lying in a shed with its mother.

A woman can be seen bottle feeding the calf, while another holds its head up so it can drink the milk.

The farmer, identified only as Murugan, is having to bottle feed the newborn as its two heads are too heavy for it to lift, leaving it unable to suckle from its mother.


Nevertheless the mother cows can be seen sticking close to the calf and licking it as families come to see the spectacle.

Local vets are involved in the calf's care but they believe its chances of survival are very low.

Animals born with more than one head, known as polycephaly, barely live more than a few months.

The condition results from genetic abnormalities or damage sustained in the nervous system during development and splitting of embryos.

In August 2020, a calf born with two heads, two ears, two mouths and four eyes shocked farmers in Dejiang County, Guizhou Province in south-eastern China.

The calf's mother gave birth to it after a difficult seven-hour labour, according to their owner, known as Auntie Zhang.