Calf that lost both hind legs to frostbite gets prosthetics

It's rather strange to see a calf with a pair of prosthetic limbs, yet that is exactly what we have here. A calf named Hero suffered frostbite to its rear legs and as a result, both of the limbs had to be amputated. Rather than just killing the animal, a team of prosthetic makers in Texas built two new legs for the calf so it could get up and walk again.

To get the calf ready for the prosthetic legs, a surgical team removed about two inches of bone from the stumps left behind to get the calf ready for the prosthetic limbs by creating a pad of tissue. The team who actually made the limbs for the calf says that they studied photos of cows and video to see how they walk to try to mimic that motion mechanically.

The hooves on the prosthetic limbs are made from urethane and titanium with the connecting components made from titanium and carbon fiber. Hero's caretaker has spent nearly $40,000 to save the calf.