Ankole-Watusi facts for kids
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| Conservation status | FAO (2007): not listed |
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| Country of origin | United States of America |
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| Coat | usually red |
| Horn status | horned, large thick horns |
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The Ankole-Watusi is a special kind of cow that was developed in America. It comes from a group of cattle breeds called Ankole from central Africa. These cattle are famous for their incredibly large horns!
Contents
History of the Ankole-Watusi
How the Breed Started
The Ankole-Watusi breed has its roots in central Africa. Some of these unique cattle were first brought to zoos in Germany in the early 1900s. From there, they traveled to other zoos across Europe.
Later, some of these cattle were brought to the United States. In 1960, a new herd was started in New York State. This happened by mixing some of the African cattle with a different type of bull from Canada. This mixing helped create the modern Ankole-Watusi breed.
Growing the Breed
A special group called the Ankole Watusi International Registry was formed in 1983. This group helps keep track of the breed and makes sure it stays healthy. In 1989, they created a "breed standard." This is like a rulebook that describes what a purebred Ankole-Watusi should look like.
By 2016, there were about 1,500 Ankole-Watusi cattle in total. Most of them, about 80%, lived in the United States.
What Makes Them Special
Amazing Horns
Ankole-Watusi cattle can be many different colors, but they are often red. Their most amazing feature is their horns! These horns are unusually large and spread out wide. They also have the biggest horns around their base (circumference) of any cattle breed.
The Guinness World Records has even recognized some Ankole-Watusi cattle for their horns. A bull named CT Woodie had horns that measured 103.5 centimeters (about 40.7 inches) around! Another steer named Lurch had horns that were 95.25 centimeters (about 37.5 inches) around. Imagine how big those are!
Images for kids
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An Ankole-Watusi at an enclosure at a zoo.
See Also
In Spanish: Ankole-Watusi (raza bovina) para niños
