Panda Cow Born on Colorado Farm

Around 8 a.m. Friday, after Bella, a lowline Angus cow, spent a freezing cold night in labor in her stall, Ben—a miniature panda cow—was born. Ben was born in a farm east of Campion, Colorado, and is one of only 24 in the world. “We’ll get him bundled up pretty soon,” said Chris Jessen, who has miniature donkeys, other miniature cattle breeds and even a wallaby—a miniature kangaroo—on his hobby farm. The miniature panda cow sports a white belt around its midsection and a white face with black ovals around the eyes, giving the cow a very panda-like appearance, and is the product of 44 years of genetic manipulation by Richard Gradwohl, a farmer in Covington, Washington. The miniature panda cows sell for up to $30,000 from Gradwohl’s online clearinghouse, and Jessen plans to sell Ben–who he named after his brother, also born on New Year’s Eve.