My father raised Watusi for many years. These domesticated African cattle should not be confused with Longhorns. The Ankole-Watusi have been registered as a breed in the U.S. since 1983. Dad was interested in them for three reasons. The first was his life-long abiding fascination with anything different or unusual. The second was the fact the meat is lean, and much like venison with no marbling. Third, the cows have easy births dropping forty pound calves. Rarely does an owner lose a cow or calf or require a visit from the vet.
There are two ways to describe the Ankole-Watusi. Foundation Pure which means 100% pure bloodlines. Or, Native Pure, which means a crossbred animal has been bred back to pure until it is 15/16ths Watusi DNA.
Dad also liked their disposition. Although they have the most massive horns of any cattle breed, they aren't considered aggressive. The lyre-shaped horns are the animal's air-conditioner with excess body heat dispersed through the blood vessels in the horns.
I admit to being a little anxious when Grandpa led the kids among the herd to this baby.
Watusi need their space. If too closely confined, they will swing their horns at one another demanding more room. They also use their horns to brush flies away. Most cattle would use their tail. They can accidentally knock a person down when they suddenly swing their head.
After they are butchered, the skull and horns make great decor. Dad donated a set of horns to many a local fund-raiser.
If you would like to see more images or learn more, here are a couple of links.
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/ankole-watusi
http://www.awir.org/Ankole Watusi International Registration+
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