By Steve Morris

Joleen Pierce was in bed sound asleep when her husband, Darren, give her the news ñ their cow had just given birth to triplets.

The cow gave birth to a bull calf and two heifer calves, all of which are healthy and born with no complications.

The mother gave birth in the early morning hours of June 4. The newborns, named Half Pint, Dixy and Rusty are doing well, said their owner Joleen Pierce.

ìWe had no idea she was having more than one,î she said.

For a cow to give birth to three calves and have them all survive is an oddity. In fact, prior to June 4, the Pierceís had never heard of such a thing in their lifetime. Upon further research, Joleen Pierce said she learned beef cattle have triplets about one in every 103,000 births.

ìItís a shock,î she said. ìI just couldnít believe it.î

The calves were born on time; only two days early from the cowís due date. Itís not uncommon to have cows give birth weeks prematurely. The mother didnít need any help delivering the calves either. Pierce said sometimes they need to assist in the delivery ñ but not in this particular case.

Together, the triplets weighed more than 150 pounds. Mom Lily is three years old and doing well, despite the triple blessing.

Pierce said sometimes Lily gets confused with three babies to feed. But the cow is adjusting to it, she said.

In past years Lily has produced one bull and two heifer calves, one at a time.

The Pierces live on a farm just west of North Branch and have 11 cows, three yearlings and eight calves.