What is the most calves born to a cow?

Question

What is the most calves born to a cow at once that survived for a while at least? That means not dead when born.

One of my grandpa's best friends had 4 born, but a week later one died.

Answer 1

personally i have had 3 that made it to weaning

Answer 2

Quads are born to a cow once every 665,000 births and we have no cases where Quints have survived (I'm not sure if some were born alive or not). Dairy cows are 50% more likely to have multiple births than are beef cattle.  Typically if one of the calves is a bull, the female(s) will be born sterile and show some male charactistics in their actions... they are called freemartins.  As a beef cattle rancher I've only seen twins from my cattle, although a neighbor had one cow give birth to triplets.

Answer 3

I had a Hereford beef cow have and raise quadruplets.  They were small all of their lives but looked like peas in a pod.  Cattle today are more likely to have multiple birth because they are ofter given injections to bring them into season at the same time to facilitate artificial breeding.