268 MAINE; AGRicuivTuRAi. expe;rime;nt station. 1912. 



Description of a Case oe Triplet Caeves. 



This study has to do with a family of triplet calves^^ bom 

 near Waldoboro, Maine in 1907. 



The facts regarding the birth and subsequent history of these 

 calves are as follows : 



1. Birth. The birth of the triplet calves occurred at Mr. 

 Iv. A. Starrett's farm during the forenoon of June 20, 1907. 

 There were present two other witnesses besides Mr. Starrett. 

 On account of the previous breeding behavior of the mother of 

 these calves (cf. p. 276 infra) there was thought to be consider- 

 able likelihood of a multiple birth in this case, and the cow was 

 closely watched as the time of parturition approached. No 

 exact record was kept as to the time taken in the parturition 

 of these triplets, but it occupied several hours. There was a 

 rest for a considerable time after the birth of the first two of 

 the calves. The parturition was natural no aid in delivery being 

 necessary. The birth order was ? : $ : 2 . 



2. Description, of Calves. As has been indicated tvvo of the 

 calves were females and one a male. They were stated to have 

 been small at birth (as would of course be expected), but en- 

 tirely normal in appearance and in activity. Unfortunately no 

 record was made of the weights of the individuals at birth, so 

 that it is impossible to determine how much below the average 

 size for single calves these were. It is certain however, that 

 while each individual was noticeably smaller than a normal 

 single calf the aggregate weight at birth of the triplets was 

 much above that of a normal single calf. All existing evidence 

 regarding cases oi multiple birth in species where unit births 

 are normal points to the conclusion that while there is a reduc- 

 tion of size of individuals in the multiple births this reduc- 

 tion is not proportionate to the number of individuals. Thus it 

 has been shown by Mumiord" that in the case of sheep the 



^^The writer is under great obligation to Mr. James S. Walter of 

 Waldoboro, Maine, the second owner of these calves, and to Mr. L. A. 

 Starrett of Pleasant Point, Maine, who was the original owner, for the 

 aid which they have freely and kindly given in this work. 



'^Mumford, F. B. Breeding Experiments with Sheep. I. Some Factors 

 Influencing the Weight of Lambs at Birth. II. Milk and Food Records 

 of Ewes. Missouri Agr. Expt. Stat. Bull. 53, pp. 167-188. 1901. 



