Locals flock to see 'lucky' mutant calf born with two heads as farmer hand rears her - feeding her bottles of milk through both mouths

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Villagers are flocking to gawp at a mutant baby cow born with two heads that is being hand-reared in Indonesia.

The female calf - which many of the locals believe will bring good luck - was delivered on a farm in Pondok Wuluh Village, in East Java, on Sunday night.

She suffers from polycephaly, with four functioning eyes and two separate mouths.

Despite her unusual appearance, the calf appears to be otherwise healthy, and has been able to drink bottled milk through each of her mouths.

This female calf, born with two heads, is being hand-reared on a farm in Pondok Wuluh Village, in East Java

The calf, which was born on Sunday night,  is still unable to walk but officers from the local Animal Husbandry Department said it can sometimes take between three and five days before newborns can stand

Hariyanto Yanto, the owner's nephew, has been giving the animal vitamins to boost her health. Above, the calf is fed milk from a bottle - and is able to do so through both of her mouths

Villagers have been arriving over the last few days to look at the calf, which many locals believe will bring good luck

She can even clamber to her feet with help from the farmer.

Hariyanto Yanto, the owner's nephew, said they have been giving the animal vitamins to boost her health.

He said: 'We are all afraid that she will not be able to live long because of her condition, so we have been giving her milk and supplements.

'Nobody knows why she was born like this but we are all saying prayers for her.'

The calf is still unable to walk but officers from the local Animal Husbandry Department told them not to worry as it can sometimes take between three and five days before newborns can stand.

The animal suffers from polycephaly, with four functioning eyes and two separate mouths

'Nobody knows why she was born like this but we are all saying prayers for her,' said Hariyanto Yanto. Animals with polycephaly rarely live beyond a few months

The region's Livestock and Health Service Office head Yahyadi said they visited the calf to check on its condition.

Yahyadi said: 'We were told that while still in the womb, both the mother and calf were given vitamins.

'The baby is just unique because it has two heads that are close together. We do not know how long it will live for.'

To ensure its health, Yahyadi said they will send vets to help take care of the strange calf to conduct some research.

He said: 'We will supervise the care of the calf for research. We have assigned officers and veterinarians to help take care of it.'

How do animals with two heads function?

Two-headed animals have a condition called polycephaly, which derives from the Greek word poly, meaning 'many' and kephale, meaning 'head'.

Animals with this condition, also referred to as dicephalic parapagus, have two heads on one torso.

Animals with this condition, also referred to as dicephalic parapagus, have two heads on one torso. The unusual condition was captured in a brief film taken in Rawalpindi, Pakistan of a goat (pictured)

Each head of a polycephalic animal has its own brain, and they share control of the organs and limbs, though the specific structure of the connections varies between each case.

Animals with the condition rarely live beyond a few months.

They are referred to as bicephalic or dicephalic if the animals have two heads. If they have three heads they are referred to as tricephalic.

'Although rare, two-headed animals have been documented since the 1800s', according to the video website Newsflare.