Ankole-Watusi

The Ankole-Watusi is a modern American breed of domestic cattle. It derives from the Ankole group of Sanga cattle breeds of east and central Africa. It is characterized by very large horns.

This article is about the modern American cattle breed. For the African group of breeds from which it derives, see Ankole (cattle).
Ankole-Watusi
bovine with large horns and mottled red-and-white markings
Conservation statusFAO (2007): not listed[1]: 125 
Country of originUnited States of America
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    450–730 kg[2]: 110 
    average 590 kg[3]
  • Female:
    410–550 kg[2]: 110 
    average 476 kg[3]
Coatusually red
Horn statushorned, large thick horns
  • Cattle
  • Hybrid Bos (primigenius) taurus/indicus

History

The Ankole-Watusi derives from cattle of the Ankole group of Sanga cattle breeds of east and central Africa. Some of these were brought to Germany as zoo specimens in the early twentieth century, and from there spread to other European zoos. Some were imported to the United States, and in 1960 a herd was started in New York State by cross-breeding some of them with an unrelated Canadian bull.[2]: 110  A breed society, the Ankole Watusi International Registry, was set up in 1983,[2]: 110  and in 1989 a breed standard was drawn up.[4] In 2016 the total number for the breed was thought to be approximately 1500 head, some 80% of them in the United States.[2]: 110 

Characteristics

The Ankole-Watusi may be a number of different colors, but is usually red. The horns are unusually large, with a wide spread[2]: 110  and the largest circumference found in any cattle breed. Guinness World Records lists a bull named CT Woodie with a horn circumference of 103.5 cm (40.7 in) and a steer named Lurch, with horns measuring 95.25 cm (37.50 in), as record-holders.[5][6]

References
  1. Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed June 2017.
  2. Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
  3. Breed data sheet: Ankole-Watusi/United States of America. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2017.
  4. Ankole-Watusi Cattle. Ankole Watusi International Registry. Accessed June 2017.
  5. Largest horn circumference – bull. Guinness World Records. Archived 11 October 2019.
  6. Largest horn circumference – steer. Guinness World Records. Archived 19 October 2019.
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