Welcome to this week’s next post on Ankole-Watusi. Ankole are a breed of Sanga cattle, spread throughout the eastern regions of Africa into areas that encompass the Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. There are three main strains of this breed: 1. Bahema strain: found in Northern Kivu, near Edward and Amin Lakes. 2. Bashi strain: found in Southern Kivu, around Lake Kivu. 3. Tutsi strain: found in Burundi, near the northern part of Tanganika Lake. Ankole are known around the world for their majestic horns that can grow to 8 feet in length in flat, circular or lyre shapes. Not only do these horns prove a formidable defense against predators, but blood circulating through them provides an efficient mechanism to cool the animal in the notoriously hot climate. The purer Ankole cattle have a medium-long head, a short neck with a deep dewlap and a narrow chest. The hump is cervico-thoracic, small and barely visible on the cow. Bulls can weigh up to 1,600 lbs and cows up to 1,200 lbs and stand 6 feet tall at the shoulders. Traditionally, Ankole served almost exclusively as milk animals and were rarely used for meat, since wealth was measured in living head of cattle. The breed was regarded in some areas as sacred, animals with the longest horns reserved for royalty. The breed is often referred to as the Cattle of Kings. The breed can cope with a scarcity of forage. Ankoles are able to utilize poor quality forage and limited quantities of food and water. These survival abilities have allowed them as a breed to not only survive for centuries in Africa but to become established in Europe, South America, Australia, and North America. Thanks to Stacey Paisner for the photos.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 21:00:00 +0000
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