Rare two-faced calf born in the US: 'It has already exceeded a lot of expectations' | outside

The chance of a calf having two faces is about 1 in 400 million, the calf's owners, Eric and Don Brough, said in a Facebook post. The Breaux family runs an agricultural business in Cossinade, southern Louisiana.

Most calves with “polycephaly,” as the condition is called, are not born alive. Some live for a few hours or days, although there is also a known case of a calf surviving for forty days, according to the Associated Press news agency. “We know this calf has a short lifespan and will likely only live for a few days,” Dawn Brough said shortly after the special calf was born. “She has truly exceeded expectations by being born alive.”

The Deux Face is doing better than that at the moment, according to an update from the owners earlier this week. At eight days old she was making cautious progress. “She's having trouble holding her head up, but now that she's stronger, she's holding it up more. She can't stand on her own, so she can't drink from her mother.” Therefore, the calf is fed milk from a bottle from birth.

“She does not appear to be in any pain,” another Facebook post said. “We are constantly monitoring it and taking it day by day. It has exceeded many expectations, but time will tell. We hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.”