Overview

Also known as African Ankole-Watusi, this breed traces its ancestry back more than 6,000 years, where long-horned domestic cattle were established in the Nile Valley.

Details

They are even pictured in Egyptian pyramid pictographs. Later, this giant-horned strain of cattle was owned by Tutsi kings and chiefs. Their horns, which can reach 12 feet in diameter, led them to become popular in European zoos. These medium-sized animals have small calves, which makes Watusi bulls useful for breeding to first-calf heifers or other smaller breeds. They tolerate weather extremes, and do well in very hot climates. Their large horns actually cool them down by circulating blood, cooling it, and returning it to the body. Watusi cattle also produce low-fat, low-cholesterol beef.