A unique calf born with two faces has beaten the odds by surviving for eight days on a farm in southwest Louisiana. The calf, named “Deux Face” (French for “two face”), was born with four eyes, two noses, two mouths, and two ears at Breaux Farms LLC in Cossinade, about 90 miles west of Baton Rouge.
The owners of the farm, Eric and Dawn Breaux, said the chance of this type of birth, known as polycephaly, is 1 in 400 million. Most calves with this condition are stillborn or live for only a few hours or days. According to Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, the oldest living two-faced calf survived for 40 days.
Despite the odds, Deux Face has been making slow progress under the care of the Breauxs and several veterinarians. Dawn Breaux shared updates on Facebook, saying, “She has trouble lifting her head but is holding it up more and more as she is getting stronger. She is not standing on her own yet so she is unable to nurse on her mom. We have been bottle feeding her from the start.”
The calf is using a sling for support as she works on building her leg muscles. The Breauxs have taken her outside to get some sun and spend time with the other cows. They emphasize that the calf is not for sale and are not allowing visitors or media involvement for her safety, wellbeing, and their privacy.
“She does not appear to be suffering or in any pain,” the Breauxs said in a Facebook post. “We are monitoring her constantly and taking it day by day. She has beaten many odds, but only time will tell her fate. We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. This is the reality of caring for God’s creations.”
The Breauxs acknowledge that Deux Face will likely have a short life span but are committed to providing her with the best possible care for as long as she survives.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.