A rare set of twin donkeys were born on a farm in Webster, Minnesota, bringing excitement to the owners, Darick and Madi Kvam. However, this is just the beginning of their dreams for the Rolling Acres Ranch.
The farm is always busy, starting at daybreak, and no day is the same. Last Thursday was delivery day for a pregnant mammoth donkey named Tania.
Madi explained that she saw the first baby coming out and called Darick. Shortly after, they were surprised by the birth of a second baby, which they didn’t know was coming.
“All of a sudden we hear this big like, whoosh, like water breaking noise and another baby is coming down,” Madi told FOX.
The reporter asked, “Wait, so you didn’t know you were having twins?”
“No!” Madi excitedly replied.
Unfortunately, the second baby had a deformity and was too weak to survive and passed away shortly after being born.
“It came out with a little bit of a deformity, so it couldn’t stand in a kind or get any milk from mama,” Madi explained. “And it was maybe not even half the size of the other one.”
Twins in donkeys are rare, with only 1.7% having twins, and of those, only 14% survive. Losing one of the twin donkeys was a sad moment, but the Kvams are familiar with the ups and downs of farming.
The Kvams’ dream for the farm goes beyond raising animals. The big reason they started farming is because they said they want to provide sustainable food for their community at an affordable price.
“But the goal is to be able to, you know, to have produce and protein and meat for our community at an affordable price,” Darick told FOX. “Sustainable food for our community would be ideal.”
With more animals expected to be born on the farm, such as chicks and goats, there will be more opportunities to achieve their mission.
For the Kvams, owning the farm has been a wonderful and sometimes challenging journey. They know that the path to success is not always easy, but they are committed to their goals and are excited about the future.