Calf with one eye & no nose in Lakhimpur Kheri attracts crowds

BAREILLY: A deformed calf — born with one massive eye and without a nose —became a centre of attraction for locals in Madrahi and neighbouring villages of Lakhimpur Kheri district .


The calf, suffering from a rare congenital disorder called ‘cyclopia’, breathed through its mouth and didn’t eat anything, before it died on Wednesday afternoon.

The mother has, in the past, given birth to three other calves, all normal.

Calves with such deformities don’t survive for long: Experts

As the news spread, locals thronged at the house of farmer Om Prakash (55), who told TOI, “We were surprised to see the calf, all of whose other body parts appeared normal. While alive, it was inhaling and exhaling through its mouth and couldn’t even drink water. The mother too didn’t show the affection it displayed for the other calves. We tried our best to feed it milk and water. I even called a veterinarian, but he said calves with such deformities don’t survive for long. Everyone in my family is sad after it died.”

The defect is called ‘cyclopia’, from the legend of one-eyed giants called Cyclops in classical Greek literature.

An expert said, “There is little possibility of survival in such cases, as the animal has chronic breathing and brain problems. Such cases are extremely rare, and reported in humans as well. The defect is called ‘cyclopia’, from the legend of one-eyed giants called Cyclops in classical Greek literature.”

A similar calf was reportedly born in Bardhaman district of West Bengal in January this year — the last such case recorded in India.