The calf at the centre of dispute between two herders in the central province of Hà Tĩnh. — Photo dantri.com.vn

DNA tests have long been used by unscrupulous reality TV shows to determine the parentage of children but cows? Now that's udderly ridiculous.

A trial in the central province of Hà Tĩnh, the People’s Court of Hương Khê District, has had to rely on the result of DNA testing to resolve a calf dispute.

The row has lasted for about a year between two families of cattle herders in Huong Khe District’s Phuong My Commune – Nguyễn Thái B and Hồ Đức L, Dân trí online newspaper reported.

Farmers in the region often let their cows graze unsupervised in hills for long periods.

On August 7, last year, B let a six-cow herd into the forest. By the morning of August 19, last year, Mrs. T. (B’s wife) saw the herd of cows at a field near their house but one was missing.

After looking for the calf, B’s family found his stray calf tied at the river bank near L’s house.

B's family asked L to return the calf, but he didn’t agree. Both claimed the calf belonged to their family and tried to give evidence to prove it.

As the row became tense, they sought intervention from local authorities. However, negotiations failed to resolve the dispute, so B’s family sued L.

During the process, both the plaintiff and the defendant agreed to take the disputed cow for DNA testing to determine the identity of the calf’s biological mother.

The test showed the calf and a female cow raised at B’s household were related.

B described the calf’s identity and age during the trial. He insisted it matched a photo and video of the disputed cow.

Other witnesses also confirmed it belonged to B’s family.

L only gave a few details about the calf and claimed he bought it in November 2017 when the cow was six months-old, meaning it was only half of the age of the cow which was the centre of the dispute.

Based on DNA test, Hương Khê District People's Court declared that the dispute cow belonged to B’s family. L was asked to return the cow and pay VNĐ11 million for DNA testing, all for a cow worth VNĐ12 million. — VNS