~by Taylor Teays for The Scranton Journal
Billy is a cow like no other, and that was apparent from the moment he was born with no hair or teeth, the little calf was different from the start.
Born March 28 and owned by Chop Gibson, Mike Gibson and Doug Gibson, the little calf’s birth was “a little bit of a shock,” according to Dawn Rudolph, daughter of Chop, cousin of Mike and sister of Doug. At first, everyone wondered if Billy had been born prematurely, but quickly realized that wasn’t the case as calves grow hair weeks before birth.
“I reached out to the vets I use and started to do some researched,” explained Rudolph. “A vet from the University of Tennessee gave me lots of information. He has done extensive research on the condition. That is when we checked to see if he had teeth. He was diagnosed with Hypotrichosis, which means no hair, and anodontia, lack of teeth.”
A poor prognosis with just one of these conditions, the combination gave Billy a “low” outlook for survival.
“I have reached out to more than two dozen universities with animal science programs to see if they had an interest in the calf,” Rudolph explained.
That’s where the Iowa Farm Sanctuary came into play.
“I finally reached out to the Iowa Farm Sanctuary with my fingers crossed because they are full. Last week, I got the message and confirmation they would take him,” said Rudolph.
Billy found his perfect fit with the sanctuary, as they have experience in taking care of this one in a million combination of rare congenital conditions. Another calf, named Auggie, has been at the sanctuary since he was small.
“Knowing Auggie’s journey, with all its quirks and challenges, we understand the specialized care this little guy will require,” said the Iowa Farm Sanctuary Facebook page. “Of course we have experience with soft foods and sensitive skin care, but we have also navigated unexpected hurdles.”
The calf lived on the Gibson farm, taken care of by the family, with credit given to Dawn’s son’s girlfriend, Cassie Fowler, for doing most of the care during his time there, including regular skin care, fly protection and sunscreen, needing a blanket during the colder part of the spring. Now that he’s transitioned to solid food (ground creep feed), he has officially made his way to the Iowa Farm Sanctuary.
Located in Oxford, IA, the sanctuary recently made headlines after providing a home to the water buffalo who eluded capture for some time in Pleasant Hill.
The mission reads: “At Iowa Farm Sanctuary, we provide a safe haven to rescued farm animals in need of love and compassion while providing humans the opportunity to experience the unique sentience and intelligence found within these animals.” Donations for the care of Billy and other animals under the care of the sanctuary can be made online at www.iowa farmsanctuary.org/donate.
