Buyer question
Are Ankole-Watusi cattle good for beginners?
Usually not: our Animal Library rates the Ankole-Watusi cattle 2 out of 5 for beginners (needs experience).
Source: the Ankole-Watusi cattle page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Ankole-Watusi cattle in the Animal Library
The detail
Ankole-Watusi are Sanga cattle from east and central Africa, where their huge horns marked status and help shed heat. In the US they are kept mostly for their striking look, lean beef and hardiness, and their horns shape how they must be handled.
- Temperament
- Alert, can be protective
- Best fit
- Experienced keepers, exotics
- Docility
- 2 out of 5 (Alert; cows guard calves)
- Upkeep
- 4 out of 5 (Horns need wide facilities)
- Hardiness
- 4 out of 5 (Heat hardy, lean feeders)
What to weigh
Horns can span six feet or more, so standard chutes, trailers and feeders often will not work, and a toss of the head can injure people. Cows are protective of calves and need calm, experienced handling.