This is the moment a cow shows love to her mutant calf that was born with two heads and is unable to stand up and feed naturally.

The mutant calf was born on a farm in the municipality of Nova Venecia in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo on the evening of 13th December.

Delci Busatto, the son of the calf’s owner, told the news site Folha Vitoria that the two-headed calf lives on the family’s farm and has difficulties feeding from its mother and requires a bottle.

He added: “The calf is very debilitated. It has to lie down and cannot get up. Because it can’t stand up, the calf has to be fed from a bottle.”

Busatto said the family sought veterinary expertise on the matter, but they did not know what could have caused the mutation.

He told Folha Vitoria: “We have talked to some vets, but no one has any answers as to whether it will survive or not.

“For now, it is just a matter of waiting and seeing what happens.”

Busatto said the calf was the cow’s third offspring and the other two were born normally.

The family knew that the cow, around six years old, was due to give birth.

Busatto said he went to the barn during Monday night and immediately noticed that the calf had two heads.

One reason for genetic abnormalities is a change in the genome, often caused by the animal’s external and internal environment. Mutations can be caused by certain mutagenic influences, artificial conditions, and sometimes crossbreeding.