Rare 'Panda Cow' Born in Colorado

The tiny calf was born Friday with a white belt and a white face with black eyes—bearing a striking resemblance to a panda, and now one of only 24 so-called panda cows on the planet. "Ben" was delivered by a lowline Angus cow named Bella in northern Colorado, reports the Loveland Reporter-Herald, the result of genetic manipulation that gives him his striking looks.

The miniature cows are purely pets, with no practical use. So of course their pricetag isn't practical, either: The tiny critters can fetch up to $30,000. “We had a Chinese delegation visit our farm, and they were fascinated,” says the farmer who developed the breed. “They want them in China, so we’re going to be exporting.” But life in Colorado isn't too bad for Ben: The calf was hunkering down in his owner's laundry room.
(More pandas stories.)