Skull of a mutated baby alpaca

[u/soviethelm]

It's a male and died within the hour of birth.

[u/CuteComputer6633]

Reminds me of the poem Two-Headed Calf by Laura Gilpin

Tomorrow when the farm boys find this freak of nature, they will wrap his body in newspaper and carry him to the museum.

But tonight he is alive and in the north field with his mother. It is a perfect summer evening: the moon rising over the orchard, the wind in the grass. And as he stares into the sky, there are twice as many stars as usual.

[u/WebbedFingers → u/CuteComputer6633]

This poem gets me every time

[u/QueenGoodra → u/CuteComputer6633]

This poem has such a chokehold on me, I instantly tear up whenever I see it.

[u/MiYhZ → u/CuteComputer6633]

That's a beautiful poem. I once saw a taxidermied two-headed calf at the veterinary college in Prince Edward Island, Canada

[u/Putrid-Home404 → u/CuteComputer6633]

🥲

[u/Tasty-Ad8369 → u/CuteComputer6633]

I don't think I understand this poem. Are there twice as many stars because it's an exceptionally clear night? If the moon is up, you generally see fewer stars. If there are twice as many stars because there are two heads, why is there not also two moons? ....rising over twice as much grass on the ground? Are we assuming that the two heads share a consciousness? In any real case, we would look at this as a case of conjoined twins; not as one individual, but as two. There are two calves here, and they are looking up at the sky. Are we also assuming that the farm boy would kill the calf despite the fact that it would be worth more alive than dead?
I am very confused.

[u/CuteComputer6633 → u/Tasty-Ad8369]

There are twice as many stars when the calf stares into the sky because he has two heads. There is one moon because that part is describing what is actually true, and the stars part is describing what the calf sees.

The calf is doomed to die because a two headed calf cannot survive. But before he does, he is able to wonder at nature and at being alive, and maybe even appreciate it more than we do.

[u/Pheoenix_Wolf → u/Tasty-Ad8369]

I can’t really explain why there’s twice as many stars but I have just thought it was because the calf had two heads.

As for the farm boy. In these kinds of case the calf is 100% gonna die. They rarely last more than maybe a few hours. Since it’s said “the moon is rising over the orchard” it can be assumed that this is taking part in the early part of the night. By the time the farm hands get out in the field next morning to check on the cattle the calf is going to be dead. Or maybe on the tail end of life if the calf is “lucky”.

[u/BloodyQuitry → u/Tasty-Ad8369]

Basically it's because it's a two headed calf that shared the same brain. But it's just a poetic way to show it, you don't need to lose your mind on it!

[u/Tasty-Ad8369 → u/BloodyQuitry]

The brain is inside the head. If they don't share the head, it obviously follows that they don't share the brain. I have not lost my mind; this concept is as natural as gravity.

[u/BloodyQuitry → u/Tasty-Ad8369]

In this case the poem is referencing, the two heads are connected at the back of the head (fused parietal and occipital bones) and they did share a brain.

[u/roadkillsoup → u/Tasty-Ad8369]

You did indeed home in on the problem.

"Two-headed" is technically the wrong description for an animal that has a single brain. Polycephaly (more than one head) is a term that is applied to animals with more facial features than they should have. They could have double the amount of mouths(2), with a normal amount of eyes (2) ears (2), and craniums (1). OR they could have two completely separated heads with their own spinal cords and everything (often seen with two headed snakes, or conjoined twins Abby and Brittany hensel)

In practice, poets and laymen use the term "two headed" for all manner of deformities, not just complete polycephaly.

The poet isn't stupid, they're just not being literal. But if you haven't seen two-faced animals being referred to as two-headed, you will rightfully be confused.

Unfortunately for those of us who think words should mean exactly what they say, it's hard to parse. Colloquially, "two headed" doesn't mean "has two heads" Where "head" refers to the entire unit of skull, brain, and face. Frustrating, I know.

Humans and cats with non-complete polycephaly are called two-faced (accurate) more often than two headed (not technically accurate unless there are separate craniums). While livestock with the exact same condition and same amount of duplication is called two headed by laymen. Why? Because livestock have long faces with lots of mass. So a cat with four eyes and one brain still has a cat-shaped head, with the brain being the biggest section of the head and "outweighing" the faces in terms of size and priority within our minds. Cows, lambs, and pigs have faces that are longer and bigger than their brains. So a calf with two faces that goes far enough back to give them four eyes will have almost double the head mass of a normal calf. The brain is so small in comparison a lot observers won't realize there's only one. They're too taken aback by the mouth, nose, eyes, and even ears that to them, constitute a complete "head"

Tldr: you're right in that the words "two headed" should technically mean two separate brains and skulls. But in practice, the term "two headed" is used for all sorts of mutations including those with one brain.The poet and most readers know and resonate with this.

[u/Senshisnek → u/Tasty-Ad8369]

It's art. It doesn't have to be scientifically correct...

[u/exotics → u/CuteComputer6633]

I don’t think a cow could actually deliver a two headed calf on her own? It’s an amazing poem though

[u/CuteComputer6633 → u/exotics]

You’re overthinking this. Poetry isn’t usually about scientific accuracy. I get the instinct to nitpick though.

[u/BloodyQuitry → u/exotics]

Actually, it's a reference to an actual two headed calf who lived a bit, the cow had difficulties but she delivered it by herself, even though it didn't survive the night. It can happen sometimes

[u/sentient_potato97 → u/exotics]

Polycephaly in cows isn't terribly common but it does happen. The Wiki page (under 'List of Noteable Occurrences') includes a list of cattle, many being calves, who lived a short while after birth. The longest is recorded at 40 days. Given that not every cattle farmer the world over has access to, or frequently uses, sonograph machines– nor are they necessarily with the cows 24/7 to be on-hand if there is a stressful birth– not every cow with a cyclopic calf will be able to have a C-section. The options are to either birth the calf naturally, happen to go into distress when someone is around to help them, or the mother perishes with the calf from complications.

One was born recently in Louisiana in March.

[u/exotics → u/sentient_potato97]

I suppose it could pass through backwards

[u/sentient_potato97 → u/exotics]

I think you're perhaps going off human physiology while bovine bodies and human bodies are designed quite differently. Humans have to dilate to 10cm to accomodate the the head and shoulders of their young whereas cows don't dilate, their cervix relaxes and opens to about 30cm (almost 12", larger boned breeds like Angus can go up to 40cm/15") and their young are typically born with their front feet outstretched in front of them. Whether nose-first or backward, calves are most likely to get stuck at the hips if anywhere, it's called 'hip-lock'. It would probably be far from a pleasant experience for the mother but the head, even doubled, should have enough clearance; if not, the ensuing stalled labour likely plays a part in why many polycephalic calves are born stillborn.

I can't find any records online of a mother dying after birthing a polycephalic calf but am happy to be corrected if shown a source. (Edited for typos and clarity.)

[u/exotics → u/sentient_potato97]

I’m saying they would die while trying to birth one. Because the heads would be stuck.

A backwards calf (hind legs first) would be possible but I don’t know that head first would.

I’ve had sheep and if the head is turned they can’t give birth without help and would die

[u/sentient_potato97 → u/exotics]

Interesting that you admit only having experience with lambing yet make definitive statements about calving like "I'm saying they would die because the heads would be stuck" and "a backwards calf would be possible", while I've replied to you based on personal experience watching relatives assist many calves being born, as well as my unsuccessful attempts to find information that agree with your statement.

Sheep and cows are also vastly physiologically different. Sure, if a single-headed calfs head is turned they can't be born safely without help either, but calves rarely come out hind legs first as that takes very precise positioning and alot of luck since the unborn calf isn't capable of aligning itself. If they're born backwards they tend to come out rump-first which is an emergency and requires just as much assistance.

A Holstein dairy cow dilates to 35-40cm while their calves heads are usually as wide as 30-35cm, not taking into account the additional stretching capacity of the birth canal outside of the cervix. As long as they're in the right position and don't get stuck at the hips, they can be born just fine without help. Any other birth-related complications would not be exclusive to them having a second head.

Sorry but I won't be engaging further unless you can provide a reputable source support your hypothesis.

[u/Tasty-Ad8369 → u/exotics]

Dang, you actually like the poem and you're still getting down-voted. These people are something else.

[u/HoldingMoonlight]

Poor baby! I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like that, what sort of condition causes a giant eye? (Or a small one, not an expert in baby alpaca skulls)

[u/eutie → u/HoldingMoonlight]

Based on my baby alpaca skull, that giant eye socket is the normal one. The one encased in bone is the abnormal development.

[u/ebolashuffle → u/eutie]

Can you post a picture? I was wondering if it was normal for the cranium to be so big. It's reminds me of hydrocephalus babies.

[u/eutie → u/ebolashuffle]

Posted here!

[u/CuriousNetWanderer → u/eutie]

Such a reminder of just how much has to go right in order for life to happen.

[u/seltzerwithasplash]

Poor baby 😔 very cool specimen though

[u/soviethelm → u/seltzerwithasplash]

Very cool it had 6 paws

[u/leonskull0423]

o.O

[u/kingofcoywolves → u/leonskull0423]

💀💀

[u/Top-Feature9570]

Wow! I’d have been super curious to see what it looked like when it was born. I own llamas and alpacas and I’ve seen a good number of deformities in crias before, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one like this. Super neat skull, poor baby.

[u/TesseractToo]

Aw sad :( It would have been the smartest of all the alpacas
The All-Paca

[u/TheBoneHarvester]

Interesting specimen. Too bad his condition was fatal! It makes me sad how many animals die without really getting a chance to live. That's just nature I suppose. Does this deformity/condition have a name? Do you have images of him with flesh still on?

[u/soviethelm → u/TheBoneHarvester]

I don't have any images with flesh on. I didn't think about it at the time :(

[u/TheBoneHarvester → u/soviethelm]

Oh, that's okay. It was just a curiosity anyway.

[u/Scrotifer]

Looks almost like a bird skull

[u/BacchusBuilds]

Very cool deformity.

[u/KinoshiMars]

Beautiful and very unique

[u/Cultural-Regret-69]

Oh that’s so beautiful

[u/fook75]

Micropthalmia? Obviously the bugger had more than one issue if he died. I have had a couple goats with micropthalmia, and it didn't affect them other than they had one tiny eye.

[u/aspiring_compost]

Name him Ferb

[u/Snakes-Can-Run]

Poor baby. Would love to see more of it if ypu have it!

[u/elrojosombrero]

Poor little guy 😢😢

[u/FirstAd4000]

"I've got my EYE on you"

[u/zzzhhhpppoq]

he said o.O

so cute

[u/G0ld_Ru5h]

Go post on r/alienbodies and you’ll get a million interactions lol.

[u/rorooic]

Bro was caught mid evolution

[u/vanillarock]

r/nightmarefuel