Buyer question
How long do Ankole-Watusi cattle live?
Our Animal Library gives the Ankole-Watusi cattle a lifespan of 20–25 years.
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.
- Hardiness
- 4 out of 5 (Heat hardy, lean feeders)
- Origin
- East and central Africa
- Best fit
- Experienced keepers, exotics
- Upkeep
- 4 out of 5 (Horns need wide facilities)
- Temperament
- Alert, can be protective
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.