Valentine's Day triplets: Manitoba farm welcomes trio of calves

Triplet calves that were born at a farm in Holmfield, Man. The calves were born on the evening of Valentine's Day. Picture submitted Feb. 15, 2023. (Source: Deena Wolf)

A Manitoba farm celebrated Valentine's Day with quite the surprise – triplet calves.

Henry Wolf runs a farm in Holmfield, Man. and said he moved his pregnant cow inside the barn once the weather started to get worse Tuesday night.

He said he had been keeping an eye on her because she was quite big and figured she was set to give birth soon.

"Sure enough she had one calf, and then I noticed shortly after that it looked like she might be having a second," said Wolf.

The second calf was breeched and Wolf said he had to help with the birth.

"I thought she was done and gave her a little bit of space just to bond with her calves and take care of them and low and behold, she had a third. So it was quite the surprise for us."

Similar incidents have happened recently in Canada – in 2021 a farm in Saskatchewan had two cows give birth to two sets of triplets. Saskatoon's Western College of Veterinarian Medicine said the chances for triplets were around one in 100,000.

READ MORE: AAA grade: Sask. farm welcomes rare triplet calves, twice

For Wolf, he said he has never experienced anything like this before. He knew farms had twins in the past, but he had never seen triplets.

"It was a whole new experience and it was definitely a bit of a struggle there to make sure everybody was healthy, but we’ve got them all there."

The triplet calves standing with mom after she gave birth. Photo submitted Feb. 15, 2023. (Source: Deena Wolf)

Wolf said he is new to the beef industry – this being his second year – and he credits a recent calving course he took through the Manitoba Beef Producers for preparing him for this experience.

"There's a mock-up cow there that they can do different scenarios with and the issue I had with the second calf being born here was actually the one that I got to practice there. So I was very fortunate that I had that knowledge."

So far, Wolf said all three calves – all bulls – were doing well and bonding with mom, who is resting.

"She looks like she's got a lot on her plate there, but she looks pretty content."

- With files from CTV News' Marc Smith