Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

'Grandma' gives birth - again

Updated at 1:48 pm on 5 October 2010

Cow number 140, affectionately known as Grandma, has done it again, giving birth to her 20th calf.

Given the cow is 22 years old - close to 90 in human terms - her continuing production is a remarkable feat.

In fact, she has kept producing calves despite the best efforts of her owner, Te Awamutu dairy farmer Gordon Kirkham, to prevent it happening.

Gordon has been trying to retire Grandma gracefully, after a long and productive milking career.

He'd kept her separate from the rest of the herd - but a bull that was supposed to be engaged elsewhere got into the paddock.

Gordon Kirkham says Grandma's latest calf is a strapping Hereford-cross bull calf.

The plan is now to move her to a property close by, where there are no bulls.

Copyright © 2010, Radio New Zealand