By by Huck Treadwell
Special to The Advance
Something happened to Helton Haddock's heard of cattle that caused him to take notice.
He had, not one, but two cows give birth to twins eight days apart.
And it caused Haddock to become interested in the cattle business again.
Haddock said he'd never had a cow give birth to twins in all his years of cattle farming.
He worked for Arizona Chemical for 39 years and has been farming cattle on the side for the past 20 years. He suffered a brain aneurysm and stroke in 2001 and has been confined to a wheelchair.
Haddock's wife, Helen, said he recently attended his first cattle sale since he developed medical problems.
Haddock once had more than a hundred head of cattle in his herd, but they've sold off some of the heard to get the number down to a manageable 43.
And cattle farming has become a job for the entire family. Haddock said his father, Jack E. Haddock, farmed cattle and he "got into it because he enjoyed fooling with it." And his family has learned to "enjoy fooling with it as well."
Helen Haddock echoed her nephew's sentiments.
She said Shadow, part Catahula Cur and Blue Heeler, has been a blessing in keeping the cattle rounded up.
The first set of calves was born May 12 and the mother walked away from the first calf and kept the runt. The family put the second calf in the pasture and another cow adopted it.
The second set of twins was born May 12, and the mother walked off from one of the calves as well. However, the cow had a change of heart and is nursing both of her calves now.
If two sets of twins weren't enough to keep the Haddocks busy, the have several other cows that are pregnant. And one of them looks like she's big enough to give birth to twins as well.